Ashley Young is suspected to have spent many hours this week launching himself through the air with his arms outstretched. No, he hasn’t been rehearsing his penalty-winning technique, he’s preparing to jump at the offer of a £16m net annual salary that Chinese outfit Shandong Luneng are lining up for him. That’s a lot of money to hand over but the club are confident that even if Young does not play well, he could teach them how to trick people into thinking they’ve seen a big hit.
Nothing any Chinese club could offer Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, could persuade the goalkeeper to leave Chelsea. All Real Madrid have to do, however, is point to a map: the Belgian is increasingly eager to return to Spain, where he spent several happy years with Atletico Madrid and where his partner and daughter still live apparently, so Chelsea are resigned to letting him go to the Bernabéu in the summer. They are also prepared to relinquish their other goalkeeper, so long as Bournemouth cough up £12m for Asmir Begović. That all sounds like extreme complacency to the Mill, but sources say that Antonio Conte does intend fielding a goalkeeper next season. Surely, then, it’s only a matter of time before the media clamour for Joe Hart begins.
There are reports that Dimitri Payet’s car has been vandalised outside his home in London, possibly by a West Ham fan keen to show that the player is totally right to want to leave the city. West Ham, meanwhile, have warned Marseille that they will not let him go on the cheap and are about to demonstrate what shrewd bargainers they are by paying Southampton £8m for 33-year-old José Fonte.
Life on Leicester’s bench has finally become too tiresome for Leonardo Ulloa, who now wants to leave the club. Sunderland’s ears have pricked up at that news. Luis Hernández is also set to leave the King Power. What do you meant you didn’t even know he was there? Well, he’s on his way to Malaga now.
Tottenham’s ears have probably pricked up at the news that Galatasary are willing to take Vincent Janssen off their hands but the stri.., um, the bustling forward is unwilling to give up the ghost at White Hart Lane just yet. Preston North End hope to tie up a deal for Robbie Keane even though the move will unleash a torrent of lame quips about the Irishman fulfilling his lifelong dream to join the club he supported as a child.
Finally, there now follows the compulsory mention of Antoine Griezmann’s imminent transfer to Manchester United. The Frenchman could be joined at Old Trafford by Bernardo Silva, the slinky Monaco schemer for whom United are willing to pay in the region of £70m.
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