Born in Cardiff, Ryan Giggs might not be the most obvious candidate to be the next Swansea manager. In fact, the only discernable connection that the former Manchester United winger has with the Welsh club is that right-footed Swansea legend Leon Britton, then about 12 years old, once pretended to be Giggs in a ‘Stop. Look. Listen’ advert in the early 1990s. Still, doubts remain over Francesco Guidolin, who the Telegraph claim is a “dead-man walking” with chairman Huw Jenkins keen to convince the club’s new American owners that Giggs is the right man for the job.
If Giggs doesn’t fancy it, Wales manager Chris Coleman has also reportedly been lined up. Why Coleman – who only has to go to work once every couple of months, gets to tell Gareth Bale what to do against Georgia and Moldova, and after his nation’s exploits at Euro 2016 is fast becoming a national treasure – would want to trade his job for a relegation dogfight (Swansea’s next three fixtures: Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal) is beyond the Rumour Mill, but it might have something to do with cold, harsh cash. Wales rejected Hull City’s advances for Coleman in August, so it seems unlikely that he’d be allowed to leave his post now, unless Jenkins has a favour he can cash in at the FA. Giggsy, looks like you’re up!
Sergio Busquets will surprise absolutely nobody but the rascals linking him with a move to Manchester City when he signs a new contract at Barcelona, with the Catalan-born midfielder set to blow the ink dry on a contract that expires in 2021 and includes a buyout clause of £171m. City could have more luck with Benfica left-back Álex Grimaldo, who is believed to have been personally scouted by Pep Guardiola in Portugal on Monday. Grimaldo came through the ranks at Barcelona but never made an appearance for the first team before leaving for Benfica in 2015.
Claude Puel misses Hatem Ben Arfa’s banter and his wand of a left foot from last season at Nice, and is prepared to offer The Big Bucks to be reunited with them both at Southampton. Having only just signed for PSG, the 29-year-old has failed to impress Unai Emery in the French capital and has not even made the bench in the PSG’s last three outings. A January swoop looms.
Everton scouts have shown remarkable cunning in alerting manager Ronald Koeman that Josh Murphy, who scored for Norwich City against Everton at Goodison Park on Tuesday, is a bit of all right. Josh’s twin brother, Jacob, is also reportedly a target.
Across Stanley Park, Liverpool are said to be looking at Grégoire Defrel, who preposterously wears the No92 shirt for Sassuolo. The Frenchman has scored three goals in four appearances so far this season.
