The Transfer Talk podcast returns for its first episode of the January transfer window, as ESPN's French football journalist Julien Laurens discusses Kylian Mbappe, Jonathan David and all things Ligue 1.
Thursday 13 January 2022 06:14, UK
The Transfer Talk podcast is back has returned for its first episode of the January transfer window.
Sky Sports' Pete Graves and Dharmesh Sheth were joined by ESPN's French football journalist Julien Laurens, who addressed the latest news and rumours circulating in Ligue 1.
He discussed the likelihood of PSG boss - and long-term Manchester United target - Mauricio Pochettino making the move to Old Trafford as well as the latest on reported Newcastle target Sven Botman and much more.
"I think PSG are still hoping - even if it is just a little hope - that they could convince Kylian Mbappe to stay. He is still saying that he hasn't really made his mind up, which might be a lie and he knows he is already going to Real Madrid maybe. But he hasn't signed anything yet with Real Madrid and, right now, he is just focusing on the second half of the season.
"The difference with Mbappe compared to Paul Pogba or Antonio Rudiger is that either he stays and signs a short extension - one year, maybe two maximum - or he goes to Real Madrid. His lawyer - who is important in the whole Mbappe clan and family - maybe wanted him to go last summer, while his dad Wilfried would rather he stayed in Paris.
"There are different vibes, opinions and ideas, which is really good and that is why PSG are still hoping that they might convince him to stay for one more year with Messi and Neymar and then go. It's an incredible position for him to be in and, in the end, he will be the one who decides whether he feels it is the right time to go to Real Madrid and be the poster boy or just stay one more year."
"For me, this is the most likely scenario. Mauricio Pochettino wants to go to United - it is still his dream job. Even without Ed Woodward now, he is still No 1 on the list to come next season, along with Erik ten Hag, but I think Poch is above Ten Hag for many reasons.
"I thought he would go when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked and I think that could have easily happened, too, but now I think the summer is the likely scenario, for sure."
"We know the business plan and project in Lille is selling players with high value - Jonathan David is one, Renato Sanches would be another and there's Sven Botman, of course - who a lot of clubs are quite keen to get in now, though I think a move for David will be one for the summer. The three who are going to go, they bought for not much money at all and will sell them for around £80 million or maybe not far from £100m, which would be an incredible profit.
"For David, I think he is amazing. It took him a bit of time to settle after a move from Belgium to France, though it's just across the border, but it is a different league, different team and a different manager. Once he got going, in 2021, only Mbappe had scored more goals than him in France, this is how good he was in the calendar year.
"He can do everything; he has got great pace, his intelligence and football acumen is amazing, he can hold the ball up, he can press, he's a good finisher. For such a young player, he has so much potential, so I'm not surprised that Mikel Arteta, Edu and the people at Arsenal are really keen, as well as other top clubs in England.
"I think don't think he is completely happy at PSG. I think he will stay and he wants to stay and prove that he can start for the team and do well. I think the biggest problem is that he has been playing all around the pitch, literally in so many different positions by Pochettino, who I think is struggling to bring an identity to this team for different reasons.
"Wijnaldum has been, in a way - 'victim' is a bit strong - the collateral damage of Pochettino looking for his best midfield and best formation. Where do you fit him in when his best position is to allow him to run and run with plenty of energy? Not wide on the right like we saw at the weekend against Lyon or wide left, just to see if that is a bit better for him - I think that is counter-productive. That's where the unhappiness comes from.
"I can see why some English clubs are thinking about making a phone call to his people to see if, maybe, he would fancy coming back to the Premier League. I think he will see what happens in the second half of the season and then make a decision in the summer."
"It is just that Lille, I think, want to keep him until the end of the season. He will help them massively against Chelsea in the Champions League and then to try and make the top three in Ligue 1. They started a bit up-and-down and now they really need him. They have got his replacement - Tiago Djalo - who was great when Botman was injured in October and November.
"They know the offers they get now will be there in the summer and if he does really well against Chelsea and shines, the same offers will be there, but maybe with an extra £10m on the price tag. For them, it makes a lot of sense for him to stay and I think Newcastle are looking at Benoit Badiashile, who is a young centre-back and left-footed, too, so it's not as though it's Botman or nothing else."
Who will be on the move in January?
The January transfer window opened on Saturday, January 1, 2022 and closes at 11pm on Monday, January 31.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
