Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
After the success of my transfer gossip debunking yesterday, it is full steam ahead as we do exactly the same this morning. No need to buy a newspaper as I’ll give you the full rundown of the ins and outs, without further ado here are this mornings back page headlines
Gossip in standard font, my thoughts are in bold
Liverpool have enquired about Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 23-year-old could cost about £25m, with Manchester City and Chelsea also interested. (Mirror) If Arsene Wenger is to have an overhaul of the squad as reported then The Ox is set to be one of the names that departs, Liverpool have long been admirers while Manchester City and Chelsea will be keen due to his homegrown player status. Out of the three I would make Liverpool the favourites should any move come to fruition.
The Reds will not face any punishment over the alleged tapping up of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, 25, after a preliminary investigation from the Premier League found there was insufficient evidence to start disciplinary proceedings. (Times – subscription required) Does this open the door for Liverpool to go back in for another attempt to sign the Dutch defender, Southampton do not need to sell but can they keep hold of Van Dijk over the course of the summer
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane regards forward Gareth Bale as untouchable and will not let the 27-year-old Wales international leave the Bernabeu club. (Marca) Bad news for Manchester United fans but Bale himself already said after the Champions League that he wants to stay in Madrid, so this is not really anything new in terms of news
Manchester United have all-but completed a deal to sign Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, 24, but an official announcement has been delayed by the uncertainty over 32-year-old forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at the Spanish club. (Diario Gol via Daily Express) Of all the players that United have been linked with recently, Morata coming to Old Trafford seems the more plausible, as for Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Manchester I still think that is something of a long shot
Chelsea are also interested in Sevilla’s 27-year-old winger Vitolo, who would cost about £35m. (Mirror) Could be a useful addition to the squad especially with Eden Hazard missing the start of the season but once the Belgian returns you do have to wonder where Vitolo would fit in the starting eleven. A solid squad signing though
Diego Costa’s move from Chelsea to former club Atletico Madrid could be in jeopardy as the Spanish club’s manager Diego Simeone is reportedly interested in Borusssia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with both players aged 28. (Don Balon via Daily Star) I cannot see the Dortmund forward being prepared to spend the first half of the season inactive due to Atletico’s transfer ban, this is a non starter for me
Chelsea have put a buy-back clause as part of the deal in selling Bertrand Traore, 21, to Lyon and plan to do the same for other young players leaving the club after not doing so when they sold Romelu Lukaku, 24, to Everton and being quoted £100m to buy him back. (Daily Mail) Smart business from Chelsea but it just highlights the amount of talent they hoard below first team level
Manchester United are confident of signing Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, 28, this week. The Serb is United boss Jose Mourinho’s third-choice midfield signing. (Telegraph) Once Chelsea bring in Bakayoko from Monaco then expect the wheels to be set in motion for Matic to once again link up with Mourinho
RB Leipzig’s 22-year-old forward Naby Keita, who is a target for Liverpool, will not be allowed to leave the German club for less than £70m. (Guardian) He’s staying with RB Leipzig then
West Ham are prepared to break their transfer record by paying more than £20m for Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, 30. (Telegraph) Nothing will happen here until Alexander Lacazette joins Arsenal
The Hammers actually want to sign Giroud and forward Theo Walcott, 28, from Arsenal for a combined £50m and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would not stand in the way of the two players if they wanted to join West Ham. (Daily Star) Will Wenger’s display of loyalty towards Theo Walcott finally come to an end. Good business if he can get £50m for the pair, although in fairness that probably is market value, whether both players want to make the short move to East London though remains to be seen
Lyon have ended their interest in Giroud, with the president of the French club claiming Arsenal want to keep him. (Evening Standard) Arsenal may want to keep him but in a World Cup season Giroud is not going to have a marginalised role and therefore risk a chance of not going to Russia, all hinges on the Lacazette talks
Tottenham have been told they will need to pay £26m to sign Portuguese midfielder Adrien Silva, 28, from Sporting Lisbon. (Record, via Star) This is lower than Silva’s release clause fee but Sporting are in something of a financial concern right now, so they will accept a cut price offer. Would be a useful addition to Tottenham’s ranks
Leicester City forward Riyad Mahrez, 26, is considering the offer of a four-year deal from Arsenal after growing “tired” of pursuing a move to Barcelona. (Sport) New manager at Barcelona, new ideas. He can’t make Ernesto Valverde want him, I would say out of the two I would see Arsenal as the front runners for the Algerian’s new destination.
Real Madrid attacking midfielder James Rodriguez, 25, is a target for Manchester United, but could stay at the Spanish club if forward Ronaldo leaves. (Don Balon – in Spanish) Would be a good signing for United but there needs to be clarification on the status of Cristiano Ronaldo first, Los Blancos will not be prepared to let both players leave
Turkish side Trabzonspor are in talks with Liverpool about signing Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva, 30. (Fotomac, via Talksport) Was meant to be departing in the January transfer window to Inter Milan so we will see what happens with this one
Barcelona are in talks to sign former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho, 28, from Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande. (Sky Sports) I mentioned this one yesterday and you can read it here
Paulinho will only join as a back-up option if Barca fail in their bid to sign Paris St-Germain’s 24-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti.(Daily Mail) To be honest this sounds a more likely scenario
Everton are not looking to sign Inter Milan’s 24-year-old Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. (Liverpool Echo) Makes a change as they have been spending money like it has been going out of fashion as of late
Burnley are favourites to sign 23-year-old left-back Charlie Taylor when his contract at Leeds expires at the end of June. (Lancashire Telegraph) This was a move that was reported as one that could have taken place in January, Burnley have bided their time and now look set to get their man 6 months later
