Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
With the world patiently waiting for Neymar to finally complete his move from Barcelona to PSG the question now is what other transfers will take place in what will undoubtedly be a domino effect. Here is the best of Thursday’s gossip
Gossip in standard font, my thoughts are in bold
Monaco’s 18-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe has decided to leave the club, with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris St-Germain in the race to sign him. (L’Equipe – in French) If this is to be the case then it will no doubt create a huge scramble for clubs across Europe. If PSG land him as well, then surely questions are going to have to be asked in regards to the FFP.
Barcelona have already made contact with Monaco over a move for the highly-rated French forward. (Le10Sport – in French) It might not be Neymar money but if we are to believe that Monaco are holding out for £160m or so then Barcelona will have the money to spend
The Spanish league will not accept PSG’s payment of Neymar’s release clause with Barcelona. They will refuse because of the 25-year-old forward’s loyalty payment dispute with Barca, and concerns over PSG breaking Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules. (Sport) That is though if they do actually take the money from PSG
Uefa will ask PSG to tell them how they intend to finance the transfer. (Telegraph) By Qatari money that is how
Barca will not try and sign Atletico Madrid’s 26-year-old forward Antoine Griezmann. (AS – in Spanish) A sigh of relief for Atletico fans
The Spanish club will replace Neymar with Borussia Dortmund’s 20-year-old French forward Ousmane Dembele. (Marca – in Spanish) If Barcelona do come calling then Dembele is hardly going to turn them down. Pittodrie or the Bernabeu next season?
Neymar’s former representative Wagner Ribeiro says: “PSG will pay the release clause and Neymar will be presented in Paris this week.” (Marca) It is happening
The Brazilian passed his medical with PSG on Wednesday in Portugal. (L’Equipe – in French) It really is happening
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has told his club’s board that they must sign striker Diego Costa, 28, who Chelsea value at £50m. (Evening Standard) It looks like that Costa is going to have to make do with missing out on the first half of the season as there are no other forthcoming options for the Spanish international
Chelsea will look to sign Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater, 27, instead of Bayern Munich’s 19-year-old Renato Sanches.(Mediaset, via Metro) Drinkwater would be a more likely addition as Sanches does not want to warm somebody else’s bench, whether Chelsea can prize the Premier League winner remains to be seen
Everton’s £50m deal to sign Swansea attacking midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, 27, will likely be completed over the next few days. (Guardian) One of the more protracted transfer saga’s of the summer looks set to come to a completion
Defender and Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk, 26, is close to forcing through his departure from Southampton. (Mirror) As is this one
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, 25, wants to stay and fight for a place at the club, despite interest from Italian club Sampdoria. (Telegraph) I think in fairness his time at The Emirates is done, if I was player I would venture my horizons and try a move abroad.
Liverpool midfield target Naby Keita, 22 is unlikely to sign a contract extension at RB Leipzig, says the German club’s sporting director. (Bild – in German) That is not to say he is moving to Anfield this summer
Leicester forward Demarai Gray, 21, is happy to stay at the club after talks over his future. (Leicester Mercury) Perhaps he has been promised a regular starting role this season, we will have to wait and see
Watford are keen to sign Everton’s 30-year-old winger Aaron Lennon, with the Toffees willing to sell. (Liverpool Echo) Lennon is surplus to requirements at Goodison Park and a return down South could now be on the cards
Winger Stewart Downing, 33, is training with Middlesbrough’s under-23 side after his transfer to Birmingham stalled. (Evening Gazette) Triffic
Sunderland are hopeful of signing Aston Villa’s 30-year-old forward Ross McCormack on loan before the start of the Championship season. (Team Talk) There’s a player there somewhere, that is if he actually turns up for training
