As we move in to the off-season an unprecedented amount of managerial movement around Europe will surely see an already frantic transfer market go in to overdrive. This will give plenty of opportunities for transfer rumour and gossip. So how much of it is realistic?
There is a huge bundle of transfer gossip today so I’ve had to split this in to two parts.
Manchester United have increased their efforts to sign Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, and they are prepared to offer £65m plus a player to prise him from the Spanish club.
Full Story: The Sun
What’s the story? Ronaldo has made no secret of his admiration for United who need to sign him to have a chance at winning the Champions League.
Does it make sense? How can signing Ronaldo not make sense? The bit that doesn’t here is the player in exchange. Other than perhaps De Gea or maybe Rafael I don’t see who Real would want.
Is the price right? Not quite. Real paid £80m, and he’s still worth that, maybe more if Gareth Bale is worth £85m. If it’s the former, who are United offering that is worth £15m? It doesn’t add up.
Will it happen? 5/10 – It could do eventually, but not unless Real get Bale and not in this iteration.
Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, 32, is poised to join his former club Monaco – paving the way for Leighton Baines to move from Everton to Old Trafford.
Full story: Daily Mirror
What’s the story? Monaco are throwing money around, need a left back, and Patrice Evra learned his football there. If they move him Moyes can sign Baines without worrying who to start.
Does it make sense? Yes, all around. Evra gets his big final pay day at his old club and United can get Baines to be their man for the future. Imagine all the chances he’d create for van Persie.
Is the price right? Baines could be as much as £15m which is a lot for a left back but he’d be a great signing. I guess they’d get a few million out of Monaco for Evra.
Will it happen? 9/10 – It makes an awful lot of sense.
Tottenham have offered 30-year-old England striker Jermain Defoe plus cash to Aston Villa in exchange for Christian Benteke, 22. Spurs face competition from Atletico Madrid, who are ready to bid £25m for the Belgium forward.
Full story: Daily Mirror
What’s the story? Spurs need to upgrade their attack, and Benteke would be a great place to start. Likewise for Atletico who have just lost Falcao and are cash rich.
Does it make sense? It does for Spurs but I’m not convinced it does for Villa. Much of Villa’s tactical game planning in 2013 centered on exploiting Benteke’s physicality. They couldn’t do that with Defoe who is a pure poacher. The Villa attack isn’t mature or sophisticated enough to operate with a poacher. For Atletico, Benteke is a big body like Falcao and although much less refined, is more of a physical threat. Benteke should stay at Villa another year though, and then move when he is ready to carry the load.
Is the price right? It’s hard to value him at £25m after one year of goal scoring but I dare say it would cost that to get him out of Villa so it’s probably about right.
Will it happen? 8/10 – Not with Defoe for Spurs but if they match Atletico’s money Villa won’t reject, as dangerous as it would be to sell.
Bayern Munich want Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 26, and are prepared to offer winger Arjen Robben, 29, as part of a swap deal.
Full story: The Sun
What’s the story? Nah. Bayern seem to be on an inevitable course towards getting Robert Lewandowski and Real Madrid Luis Suarez.
Does it make sense? If this could happen for Liverpool they would be delirious with happiness. But, there’s no way Robben would go to an non Champions League club, and nor should he.
Is the price right? Suarez’s price is £50m. I can’t see Liverpool being bullied in to less when he has four years on his contract. Robben must be worth £20-25m. If Liverpool could somehow get £20m and Robben for Suarez it’s the deal of the decade.
Will it happen? 0/10 – Bayern and Suarez have eyes elsewhere, Robben belongs in the Champions League.
Liverpool hope to keep Denmark defender Daniel Agger, 28, at Anfield despite interest from big-spending Monaco.
Full story: The Guardian
What’s the story? Agger was wanted by Man City last summer, and went on to have the worst season of his Liverpool career. So obviously Monaco are waving their cheque book at him.
Does it make sense? I think it does for Liverpool. Especially if they get the type of money being discussed. I guess Monaco could do with better defenders.
Is the price right? The talk is of something in the £25m region which is unfathomable for a 28 year old injury prone defender coming off a down year. Liverpool should snap Monaco’s hand off for anything over £12m, never mind this much.
Will it happen? 8/10 – This one has heated up with lots of credible sources discussing it, so probably.
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, 27, a £15m summer target for Bayern Munich, admits he could leave the Gunners if they fail to show ambition in the transfer market.
Full story: Daily Mail
What’s the story? The familiar ‘ambition in the transfer market’ refrain from an Arsenal player. The Gunners simply must not sell Koscielny. Over the last few months he has emerged as one of the top defenders in the world and would be a big upgrade for Bayern.
Does it make sense? It does for Bayern but would be insane for Arsenal. If they really are attacking this summer’s market as they say they are, where would selling one of their best players fit in?
Is the price right? £15m is about fair enough but Arsenal have finally fixed their defence. They must not break it up.
Will it happen? 3/10 – All signs point to Arsenal finally putting their foot down and not selling.
France international midfielder Etienne Capoue, 24, has admitted he will be looking to leave Toulouse this summer, with Arsenal and Tottenham both interested.
Full story: Metro
What’s the story? Capoue is the latest highly rated French league defensive midfielder to emerge as a big physical dominating presence and Toulouse aren’t in Europe so if he wants to get on the plane to Brazil next summer he’ll need a bigger stage.
Does it make sense? I’m not convinced Spurs or Arsenal are the best landing spot for him. Spurs have Sandro if he gets fit and Arsenal have the reinvented Aaron Ramsey who really improved in his anchor man role. I’m not convinced Capoue is a significant enough upgrade to be prioritised.
Is the price right? He’d probably be in the £8-12m region but if Arsenal really want to spend a lot on an anchor man, they’d be better off going for the superior Sven Bender.
Will it happen? 2/10 – doesn’t fit the positional need or price of either club.
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Arsenal must take advantage of instability elsewhere and control the transfer market
Last summer Aston Villa bought Christian Benteke for £7m from Genk, a move that even Belgian football pundits thought fraught with risk. Now, they have one of the most desirable players in the Premier League, who is being linked with Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool. They have been attracted by his prototypical physique, speed, power, goals, heading ability and the fact that he improved so quickly last season. So if Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool are the domestic suitors, where would be best for him to go to? Or would he better off staying at Villa?
Spurs are being linked most strongly with Benteke of the three so are a logical place to start. There is no doubt, and precious little secrecy about Spurs’ summer priority and that is to sign an upgrade on their current strikers. They have been linked with Leandro Damiao, Jackson Martinez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Benteke most prominently. There is an obvious theme to all of these; physical presence combined with ruthless finishing. In other words, they want a hybrid of what they currently have. They want the power and pace of Adebayor with the finishing of Jermain Defoe.
You can read the rest of this article at ninetyminutesonline.com who I wrote it for as a feature columnist.
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There’s always plenty of transfer talk throughout the season. So how much of it makes sense, and how much of it is just rumour?
Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen striker Andre Schurrle, 22. The German club’s representatives are in London to finalise the transfer.
Full story: talkSPORT
What’s the story? This has been bubbling along for a few weeks and seems to be tying up now.
Does it make sense? I’m not at all convinced. He’s a very good player but he’s no Mata or Hazard.
Is the price right? Sounds like £20m which is the right money
Will it happen? 10/10 – yep.
Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, 27, is a target for newly promoted Cardiff City as the Ivory Coast international, currently at Lille, wants a return to the Premier League.
Full story; Metro
What’s the story? Kalou has done OK in France but might fancy showing what he can do as a regular starter in England.
Does it make sense? I’d have thought he could join a more established club but they will have money. The only other thing is that Mackay only signs players who used to play for Watford which eliminates Kalou.
Is the price right? Hard to tell but could be £3-5m which is reasonable.
Will it happen? 5/10 – It could do if they can offer him enough money.
Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, 22, is ready to turn down a summer move to either Arsenal or Tottenham. The Belgian forward has scored 19 goals for Villa since joining for £8m from Genk last year.
Full story: The Sun
What’s the story? Ah, the good old Benteke rumours. Arsenal and Spurs could do with striker help.
Does it make sense? Well, would you turn down Champions League football for another relegation scrap? Moving to a big club could force him ahead of Lukaku who might be bench bound, in the Belgian national team shake up.
Is the price right? Got to be worth at least £15m
Will it happen? 7/10 – if he’s offered Champions League football why would he turn it down in the year before a World Cup?
Galatasaray are ready to battle Manchester United and Liverpool for the signing of Porto’s 26-year-old striker Jackson Martinez.
Full story: talkSPORT
What’s the story? There’s mixed news coming out of Galatasaray. They’ve either got a lot of money, or none. Do they really need a striker with a certain Ivorian newly signed?
Does it make sense? Not really. They’ve got a lot in attack anyway. Also, is Porto to Galatasaray a step up? No.
Is the price right? Porto are so tough to buy from and don’t need to sell so it could even get up over £20m which is far too high.
Will it happen? 1/10 – Nope.
Promoted Cardiff City want to sign Reading striker Adam Le Fondre, 26, and QPR forward Bobby Zamora, 32, as Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay prepares to strengthen his squad for next season’s Premier League campaign.
Full story: Daily Star
What’s the story? Try to contain yourself Redbirds fans! Zamora? The man who has said he has no passion for football? In a relegation battle? How did that go QPR?
Does it make sense? Zamora is not a player you want to be signing. Le Fondre has shown that he can grab goals as an impact signing so might be a useful player to have.
Is the price right? QPR would drive Zamora and his £50k a week wages to Cardiff and even pay the £5 to get over the bridge for free. Le Fondre might be £4m or so.
Will it happen? 4/10 – Zamora: it shouldn’t but it might. 5/10 – Le Fondre: If Reading want to try to come straight back up then they need to keep him.
Manchester City are preparing to make a £17m summer move for Schalke’s 21-year-old Greek defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos.
Full story: Daily Star
What’s the story? Nice, a new name. Papadopoulos is one of the top young defenders on the continent.
Does it make sense? City laid out a similar amount to sign Nastasic last summer and he has shown promise. So it would be between the two youngsters to partner Kompany who is himself only 26.
Is the price right? It’s more than he is ‘worth’ but it is a reasonable sale value given Schalke should have no prerogative to sell him.
Will it happen? 6/10 – It does fit in with City’s recent policy of signing younger players and they are very thin at the back but Schalke will put up a fight.
Arsenal are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt’s Japanese midfielder Takashi Inui. Gunners chief scout Steve Rowley has watched the left-footed 24-year-old, who can play in a playmaker role or on the wing.
Full story: Daily Mail
What’s the story? Inui has looked good in Germany but, a play maker come winger with no big time experience. Haven’t we been here before Arsene?
Does it make sense? No. Chance creation isn’t the problem for Arsenal. They need someone to score and stop the other team far far more.
Is the price right? £4-5m or so. Doesn’t really achieve anything though.
Will it happen? 5/10 – Maybe but I don’t see the gain for Arsenal
Liverpool want Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy after the 23-year-old produced a fine performance against the Reds when the two sides met last week.
Full story: Daily Star
What’s the story? Is this how teams sign players? It might be how Liverpool do.
Does it make sense? Only as a backup/development player. He’s a good shot stopper but he’s not Pepe Reina.
Is the price right? £3m or so. Worth a go for backup I guess
Will it happen? 7/10 – Rodgers does like his old favourites
Stories collected by the BBC Gossip Column
There’s always plenty of transfer talk throughout the season. So how much of it makes sense, and how much of it is just rumour?
Liverpool are favourites to sign Swansea defender Ashley Williams, 28, this summer despite interest from Arsenal. The Anfield club must decide whether to pay a minimum of £12m if they are to beat Arsenal to the Wales centre-back’s signature.
Full story: Daily Mirror & Daily Telegraph
What’s the story? Williams has been attracting a lot of attention for his form at Swansea this season and Liverpool are an obvious destination considering the Brendan Brent connection. Arsenal?
Does it make sense? Kind of, but there is a question as to whether he’s really an upgrade for Liverpool. Arsenal don’t sign 28 year old centre backs.
Is the price right? £12m is a lot for Williams, even if he wasn’t 28.
Will it happen? 8/10 – Liverpool: since when did paying too much for a sideways step stop Liverpool? 3/10 – Arsenal
West Ham are set to offer Liverpool £10m for striker Andy Carroll. The 24-year-old, on loan at Upton Park, is valued at £17m by the Reds but injuries and his goal return have prompted the Hammers to re-evaluate their bid.
Full story: Daily Mail
What’s the story? Carroll is flickering back in to life for West Ham and has been scoring lately so this re-evaluation based on his goal return is nonsense. However, his constant injuries are a major concern for someone you’re looking to spend £17m on.
Does it make sense? West Ham’s direct style certainly suits Carroll and Rodgers wants him out the door.
Is the price right? His true value is probably somewhere between £10m and £17m but it depends if any other clubs are going to bid. If not, Liverpool might have to sell at the lower end.
Will it happen? 10/10 – he won’t be at Liverpool next year.
Tottenham are ready to approach Everton midfielder Leon Osman, 31, following the breakdown of contract talks between the England international and the Toffees.
Full story: Metro
What’s the story? Interesting. Something fresh to look at. If Osman is going cheap then he’s the kind of player Spurs can think about but he’s not really any better than what they have.
Does it make sense? If he’s cheap enough then possibly but he’s the type of player Spurs have a lot of already.
Is the price right? Spurs would be interested at £3m or so.
Will it happen? 4/10 – maybe if he’s cheap enough but do they need him?
Stoke are considering a bid for Denmark and FC Copenhagen striker Andreas Cornelius, 20, to replace Michael Owen. Everton are also thought to be keen on Cornelius, who scored his first goal for Denmark against the Czech Republic in March.
Full story: Daily Mail
What’s the story? Cornelius has scored plenty of goals in Denmark and has a Premier League physical presence.
Does it make sense? Stoke don’t sign young overseas players. Everton makes sense though, they like to roll the dice in this middling price range and need some more goals in the team.
Is the price right? £5m would be hard for Copehagen to turn down and would be fair for a player who has yet only proven himself in Denmark.
Will it happen? 0/10 – Stoke 5/10 – Everton
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has rejected talk that the club is already in contract negotiations with striker Christian Benteke, 22, whose 19 goals this season have seen him linked with a move away from Villa Park.
Full story: Sky Sports
What’s the story? Benteke is going to be one of the hottest properties in the league this summer. However, Villa can’t open contract talks for two reasons. First, they don’t know yet what league they will be in. Secondly, if they do so they are admitting that they are worried he could go.
Does it make sense? They’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. They can’t really do anything about his contract just yet.
Is the price right? Lambert said he’s worth more than £25m to Villa. His true value isn’t that but you’re only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay.
Will it happen? 5/10 – to stay 5/10 – to leave. It depends entirely on whether there is a big bidder.
Stories collected by the BBC Gossip Column
The Weekend Awards are a somewhat serious, somewhat tongue in cheek affair in summary of the best and worst of the Premier League.
Highlight of the Weekend
Villa teach Stoke a lesson
Even as a neutral I was hoping Villa would be beat Stoke for a few reasons. Firstly, the three points for Villa tightened things up massively at the bottom of the table so that now 14th to 18th are separated by just 4 points. This makes things exciting. T
here’s also the fact that Paul Lambert has his young and very inexpensively assembled side playing a tactically disciplined and creative style of football that finds room for 3 attackers, all of whom have played as a lone front man in the past. Villa are playing fearlessly at the moment and they swarmed all over Stoke. In truth, it could, and should, have been about 5 or 6 goals for them. They came out and attacked, as they have done against everyone of the last month or so and got their just rewards.
Stoke on the other hand were beyond abject in attack yet again. As I seemingly have to write every week, Pulis picked a team that included absolutely no flair. Even the usual loyal Stoke fans are now openly questioning the team selection. It’s all well and good picking hard workers and players that put a tackle in to ruffle the feathers of the likes of Liverpool, their last win, but against teams like Villa it doesn’t work. Villa have been unlocked by flair this year. Suarez torched them last week, Bale got a hat trick and so on. But Pulis picked his usual hard runners and simple passers. It’s not good enough and this rank negativity is coming home to roost. They are in a nosedive.
Lowlight of the Weekend
Liverpool go back to old ways
For the prior two seasons Liverpool have been stuck in a mid table malaise of their own doing caused by extreme profligacy in front of goal. They seemed to have shaken that streak this season with Suarez leading the goal scoring charts and various teams put to the sword at Anfield. But it all went wrong against West Ham.
Brendan Brent bemusingly felt Sturridge’s goal was wrongly disallowed when he was clearly offside but that was misplaced criticism. There’s just something inexplicably inconsistent about Liverpool. You look at them on paper and can’t see how this sort of result, or the the defeats to Southampton and West Brom, are possible when you watch them in full flight. On paper they look good but in reality they are a mile away from the top 4.
Goal of the Weekend
Matt Lowton vs Stoke
How many weeks could this goal have two legitimate contenders against it. In most other weeks Mirallas’ lovely dribble and clean finish would win, and in any other week Loic Remy’s technical masterpiece against Wigan would win but Lowton’s goal has the unbeatable combination of jaw dropping quality and gravitas.
This wasn’t a dead rubber goal, it was the strike that won the game for Villa. At 1-1 they were rocking all over the place but one counter attack that wins a corner, a nodded clearance that drops to Lowton, and one outrageous volley later, and they’re 2-1 up and cruising. That moment of quality seemed to reinvigorate Villa’s young team and make them believe in themselves again.
Really?! Moment of the Weekend
Bobby Zamora gets 3 points for a clean head shot
Bobby Zamora, fighting in the White Tae Kwon Do dobok lands an absolute beauty of a headshot to pick up 3 points in his clash with Jordi Gomez in the blue dobok. Nope, hang on. They’re playing football. Ah…
What are you talking about?
Rafa Benitez: ‘We scored 2 and an own goal, so really we scored 3’
Uh huh, but the first Chelsea goal was an own goal? Plus, Chelsea were abject anyway. That’s not relevant, but it’s true.
Pundit being pushed to the top
Kevin Kilbane
The BBC are clearly trying to freshen up their punditry ranks but Kilbane is not the answer. The thing is, there isn’t an obvious reason as to why he is being pushed so hard. He was a moderate player, isn’t outspoken and also doesn’t offer unique analysis. So he doesn’t doesn’t tick any of the boxes. For all the criticism that goes in the direction of a lot of pundits, at least they have been there done that. Even if they can’t articulate how.
Kilbane seems like a nice bloke but what does he add? When he makes his first pun or reference to an unpronounceable name with a knowing glance to Gary we’ll know he’s made it.
One man team of the Weekend
Dimitar Berbatov vs Newcastle
I’m sure Christian Benteke won’t be disappointed to miss out on this for once and with Gareth Bale down injured, Berbatov gets this unopposed. The MOTD2 highlights package only seemed to mention Berbatov’s name for Fulham. He had their best two chances and also cleared a goal bound shot. And they still lost…
Most bizarre team selection
Romelu Lukaku on the bench for West Brom
What’s the biggest weakness of the Arsenal central defence? They struggle against pace and power. OK. So, obviously you play perhaps the most dangerous physical player in the league in Romelu Lukaku to cause chaos. If you didn’t, it would be crazy. Right? Well…
There’s always plenty of transfer talk throughout the season. So how much of it makes sense, and how much of it is just rumour?
Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 31, has urged Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, 27, to join him at Paris St-Germain.
Full story: the Sun
What’s the story? Remember when an out of form Rooney was dropped for tactical reasons from a United side that might well have beaten Real Madrid but for Nani-gate? Yeah, it’s that again.
Does it make sense? PSG have got so many talented attacking players but the experience of winning things that Rooney would offer could be useful.
Is the price right? With the new FFP rules it’s hard to see how PSG could make it happen. It would surely take about £50m.
Will it happen? 3/10 – Nope. Unless something dramatic happens.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are weighing up a summer move for Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, 26, who fell out with manager Robert Mancini after refusing to pull out of Belgium’s World Cup qualifier against Macedonia even though he had only just recovered from a calf injury.
Full story: Daily Telegraph
What’s the story This came up last week and I shot it straight down. BUT. Since then, Mancini has questioned Kompany’s commitment to City and publically embarrassed his leader.
Does it make sense? If Mancini stays then it easily could. Kompany isn’t the kind of man to make a fuss but he will have been hurt by Mancini’s outrageous words. Who could blame him if he wanted to head off.
Is the price right? Who knows. I couldn’t even guess this. What could possibly tempt City to sell?
Will it happen? 6/10 – If a price can be found then I think the events of last week could swing the balance.
Brendan Rodgers is ready to offer striker Andy Carroll, 24, an unlikely Anfield lifeline – but only if the England international accepts a role as an impact substitute. Carroll has spent the season on loan at West Ham, who could yet make a permanent move for the player.
Full story: Daily Mirror
What’s the story? Carroll has been in decent form at West Ham in a team which plays to his strengths. He’s been talking about getting back in the England picture so really what Rodgers is saying is that he’s a goner. He won’t be playing for England if he’s an impact sub at Liverpool.
Does it make sense? Not unless he’s happy to only be sent on when Liverpool are smashing it forward late on.
Is the price right? Can West Ham afford £15m? It might be worth it in his current form. Mind you, Liverpool paid based on form and that didn’t go so well.
Will it happen? 0/10 – No way that he stays at Liverpool. 9/10 – West Ham. 8/10 – Newcastle.
Tottenham are plotting a major summer reshuffle of their striking department and have put Aston Villa’s £15m goalscorer Christian Benteke, 22, at the top of their wanted list.
Full story: Daily Star
What’s the story? Spurs are getting nothing from their strikers at the moment. Adebayor is happy with his contract and Defoe is anything but consistent.
Does it make sense? Absolutely. Benteke has taken the league by storm at Villa so imagine what he could do with Bale, Holtby and Lennon supplying him.
is the price right? It’s bang on his true value but can Villa afford to sell him if they stay up?
Will it happen? 8/10 – Spurs would be a great spot for Benteke to keep developing.
Manchester United are tracking the progress of Benfica’s 24-year-old former Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.
Full story: talkSPORT
What’s the story? Matic was lobbed in as a makeweight in the David Luiz deal and has done well with first team football.
Does it make sense? United do need a proper destroyer in the midfield.
Is the price right? £13m or so. It’s about right for him.
Will it happen? 4/10 – maybe. It’d be good just to see Chelsea’s face.
Norwich manager Chris Hughton is plotting another raid on his old club Birmingham – this time for 19-year-old winger Nathan Redmond.
Full story: Daily Mirror
What’s the story? Redmond is considered one of the top prospects outside of the Premier League. He’s been hot and cold at times this year but there’s plenty of talent there.
Does it make sense? Norwich could use his pace and directness in attack for sure.
Is the price right? Maybe £3m? He’s worth a roll of the dice.
Will it happen? 9/10 – Norwich would be a great place for him to go if they stay up.
Stories collected by the BBC Gossip Column
Mar 27
This gallery contains 5 photos.
The ‘signing of the season’ can be quantified either by their effect on a big team, value for money or even their impact on a relegation battler. The below 5 are the best signings in the Premier League this season for a combination of the above reasons. Christian Benteke – Aston Villa Benteke moved to […]
There’s always plenty of transfer talk throughout the season. So how much of it makes sense, and how much of it is just rumour?
Arsenal and Manchester City are likely to compete for Montenegro international striker Stevan Jovetic, 23, who has scored 12 goals in 24 Serie A games for Fiorentina this season and is valued at £28m by the Italians. However, Fiorentina striker Luca Toni, 35, has advised team-mate Jovetic to join a “real top club”, rather than Arsenal.
Full story: talkSPORT & Sky Sports
What’s the story? I’ve had a stab at this one before but this has resurfaced because England played Montenegro last night. Interesting that Luca Toni (yeah, exactly) is dishing out his views.
Does it make sense? He’s not going to Arsenal at that money even if they do show the necessary ambition to impress Toni. (Seriously, Luca Toni)
Is the price right? Not unless Arsenal obliterate their transfer record. As weird as it sounds, it’s also a lot for City.
Will it happen? 2/10 – I think he’d be better off going to Juventus.
Liverpool will again attempt to sign Blackpool midfielder Tom Ince, 21, the England Under-21 international they tried to buy in January before refusing to match the £6m asking price.
Full story: Daily Mirror
What’s the story? We’ve got a space here lads, what can we put in it?
Does it make sense? Liverpool gave up on Ince two years ago and now want to shell out for him? That’s not to say that the rumour doesn’t make sense because they nearly signed him in January but this would be weird for Liverpool to do.
Is the price right? Yeah it’s fair enough really. £6m for a young English player.
Will it happen? 8/10 – If Liverpool just bite the bullet and admit they made a mistake then yes.
The agent for Aston Villa’s 22-year-old striker Christian Benteke says it would be a “dream move” for the Belgian to join Inter Milan – but adds no contact has been made with the Italians and that Benteke could stay at Villa.
Full story: Sky Sports
What’s the story? Benteke is going to be one of the most desirable properties in Europe this summer. Inter would the latest club throwing their hat in to the ring.
Does it make sense? Yep. Inter have a chronic shortage up front, completely redundant of physical presence that Benteke would offer.
Is the price right? He’d have to worth at least £15m which might be out of Inter’s range nowadays.
Will it happen? 6/10 – Inter have slipped well behind Juventus, Napoli and Milan in Serie A, this would be a good statement of intent.
Mexican forward Carlos Vela, 24, says he would like to stay at Real Sociedad next season, and has not thought about a possible return to Arsenal.
Full story: talkSPORT
What’s the story? Vela was once considered an elite prospect but floundered at Arsenal before they cut him loose in the summer. He’s doing well at high flying Sociedad.
Does it make sense? A little like Ince this would be a big acknowledgement of error from Wenger. Vela never thrived in England, sow why go back?
Is the price right? It’s not the Arsenal way to take a loss on players, never mind buy them back at a higher price than what they sold him for a year ago.
Will it happen? 5/10 – maybe, Wenger clearly believed in him before.
Manchester United captain and centre-back Nemanja Vidic, 31, is expected to be a summer target for AC Milan.
Full story: Metro
What’s the story? I’m not having this. Milan spent their money on Balotelli so unless United are feeling generous and sign a replacement then there isn’t a story.
Does it make sense? He’d be a great signing for Milan but why would Ferguson be selling?
Is the price right? I don’t see a price that would be mutually acceptable.
Will it happen? 3/10 – there’s a sniff.
Stories sourced by the BBC Gossip Column
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