If there is any champagne in the mini-bar of his hotel room, José Mourinho might just crack open a bottle this morning and raise a toast to Milan and its football clubs. Firstly to Internazionale, whose new Chinese owners are eager to make a big statement in the transfer market even if that statement is “we have more money than sense”. Accordingly, Inter are preparing to make a bid for Wayne Rooney, who is expected to be warmly welcomed by the club’s ultras by dint of not being Mauro Icardi.
AC Milan, meanwhile, want to relieve United of Memphis Depay and there are
only two complications: 1) Marseille also want the winger and 2) Mourinho
can’t remember where he left him. Still, one of the paparazzi outside
Mourinho’s hotel could probably locate Memphis so he’ll be found soon
enough and then it’ll just be a case of seeing which club wants him more.
Either way, it’s win-win for United and it’s a long time since we’ve been
able to say that.
A good thing about the Rooney-to-Inter offer is that it is expected to be
made even if the club sack Frank de Boer, which they may do soon. But the
Dutchman will not be replaced by Laurent Blanc, apparently because he
fancies his chance of getting that Manchester United gig if Mourinho can’t
get over his London homesick blues soon. As for Ryan Giggs, he could be on his way to Wigan Athletic, who are keen to hire him as a replacement for the sacked Gary Caldwell. Giggs was a great player so should be well able to manage Wigan’s way out of the Championship relegation zone. That’s how it works, right? Wolves, meanwhile, are looking to hire Sam Allardyce and may, or may not, soon open negotiations over pints of wine in a hotel bar.
Paris Saint-Germain are willing to pay the buyout clause in the contract of
Antoine Greizmann, which is a cool 100m euro. That equates to £85m. No,
hold on, it equates to £86m. No, its changed again, it’s £88m. Actually,
it’s ... oh sod it, we can’t keep up. The point is PSG are going to make a
humungous offer and Manchester United might just try to exceed it because
paying another world record fee might just elevate them above Everton in
the Premier League table.
Barcelona are lining up a bid for Glen Johnson. Do not adjust your
computer. The Catalans have problems at right-back and are aware that
Johnson has been playing so well for Stoke in between injuries that he has
forced his way back into the England reckoning, and if a player is good
enough for Gareth Southgate and England then he must be good enough for
Barça. Do not adjust your computer.
Tony Pulis’s plan to give West Bromwich Albion an exciting makeover (again,
do not adjust your computer) include signing the Cologne striker Anthony
Modeste and Sporting Lisbon’s midfielder Adrien Silva.
Spurs are going to complete the sale of Nabil Bentaleb to Schalke, who have
been impressed with the 21-year-old during his loan stint at the club.
Spurs are also said to be in talks with a the taxi firm Uber over naming
rights for their new stadium, which, presumably, could become known as the
London Uberground.
