Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Another week is upon us, as frustrating as the Monday malaise may be there’s no better way to burn off those cobwebs than by indulging in a nice serving of transfer gossip debunking. So without further ado lets take a look at what is on the back pages this morning
Gossip in standard font, my thoughts are in bold
Arsenal are also considering a £45m bid for Virgil Van Dijk. (Express) There’s no way Arsenal will be getting the player that cheap
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who has also been linked with 22-year-old RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, does not want to budge in moves for his prime targets, despite a “complicated” transfer window. (Telegraph) Liverpool are running a risky strategy here and could do with looking for a plan b otherwise they could end up with nothing
Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 28, has been pictured in an Atletico Madrid shirt. And, having been told by Blues boss Antonio Conte that he is not in his plans, Costa told team-mate Cesc Fabregas during a live Instagram broadcast to ‘give Conte a hug’. (Mail) That doesn’t necessarily point to a return to Atletico just yet but they do look the most likely to sign the player, the only issue being whether or not he is prepared to miss out on the first half of the season.
Manager Arsene Wenger thinks Arsenal can convince 28-year-old Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, who has one year left on his contract, to stay. (Mirror) Sanchez does have a burning desire to still play in the Champions League, will Wenger be able to convince the Chilean to stay?
Or, Wenger will turn to Celtic forward Moussa Dembele, 20, if Sanchez leaves. (Star) Not quite a replacement for Sanchez and I’m not sure if there is any credence in this rumour
Wenger has given up on a world record move for Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe, 18, and is instead solely focused on signing the Ligue 1 club’s 21-year-old winger Thomas Lemar, 21. (Telegraph) A move for Mbappe was always going to be unlikely in my opinion, Lemar however is much more realistic
Borussia Dortmund will only wait “a few more days” on any offers for Gabon forward and Chelsea target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 28. (Mail) The deadline is supposedly July 24th, so we will wait with baited breath over the next few days
Chelsea want to sign Manchester City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero, 29. (Star) That’s not happening
The Stamford Bridge club have offered Atletico Madrid’s Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco, 23, a five-year contract. (Don Balon, via Express) Nor this one
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing another push to sign Everton midfielder Ross Barkley. The two clubs have been unable to agree a fee so far this summer but Everton are happy to sell the 23-year-old.(Independent) If Everton sign Gylfi Sigurdsson then Barkley will go further down the pecking order and the likelihood of him being sold increases, no way the England international moves for anything near the £50m originally quoted
Spurs hope to complete the signing of £8m Estudiantes defender Juan Foyth, 19, by the end of this week.(Mirror) A new signing is always welcome, whether it is one to get excited about we shall see
Loic Remy, 30, is set to leave Chelsea this summer, with Everton and Southampton interested in the French striker.(Metro) I’d honestly forgot he was still at Chelsea, time for him to move on and get some more minutes on the pitch
West Ham will make a third bid for Stoke City winger Marko Arnautovic. The Hammers have already failed with two offers for the 28-year-old Austrian.(Sky Sports) Looks like £22.5m could be enough to prize the Austrian away from The Bet365
Swansea are keen to sign another Las Palmas player – attacking midfielder Jonathan Viera, 27.(Wales Online) A potential replacement for Sigurdssson?
Former Wales forward John Hartson says Swansea cannot sell Everton target Gylfi Sigurdsson, 27, at any price. The Icelandic midfielder has been linked with a move from Liberty Stadium.(Wales Online) Exactly what I’ve been saying John but unfortunately it does not seem like a realistic prospect for Swansea, no matter what money they would get losing the Icelandic international would be a hammer blow for Swansea
Fulham are looking to complete a £5m deal to take Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan, 24, to Craven Cottage. (GetWestLondon) “Rolan” (An old Grange Hill joke)
