You don’t need a Masters in psychology to surmise that many of Chelsea’s players were almost certainly miffed by the ludicrously harsh treatment meted out by José Mourinho to their colleagues on the club’s medical staff on the opening day of the season. With no little tedium, the repercussions of the manager’s stubborn refusal to apologise for his crass behaviour continues to rumble on and on and on and on and on.
Formerly of this parish, the Secret Footballer adds his heavily disguised voice to speculation that there is a player revolt at the club, stating fairly emphatically that it is due in no small part to Mourinho’s criticism of Dr Eva Carneiro (who no longer works there but is reported by the Evening Standard to have been offered a job by Charlton Athletic) and the physiotherapist Jon Fearn, who continues to ply his trade at the training ground in Cobham. Intriguingly, the Secret Footballer goes on to name Cesc Fàbregas as the ringleader of Chelsea’s rebel alliance who have downed tools in solidarity with the beleaguered medics.
Having been hit with the double-whammy of a stadium ban for Chelsea’s match against Stoke City next weekend and news he is to be made the subject of an individual legal claim by Carneiro, Monday was probably not one of Mourinho’s better days and he will rise this morning to unconfirmed reports that the former England and Russia manager Fabio Capello is parading up and down outside Roman Abramovich’s house holding a placard that reads: “Oi! I’m available!” Elsewhere, it’s being reported that Mourinho will lose his job only if the Stamford Bridge faithful turn against him, in which case a management team of Carlo Ancelotti and Claude Makélélé (in the Makélélé role?) would take up the reins and ship Radamel Falcao, another of the club’s tormented employees, out to Internazionale. The Serie A side will offer the Colombian striker a career lifeline if he agrees to take a significant pay cut.
Away from Chelsea, in more placid waters, both Everton and Liverpool are being linked with Cristian Tello, an explosively fast Barcelona winger who is currently in the second half of a two-year loan spell at Porto. A fringe player at Barcelona who made almost 60 appearances in three seasons under Pep Guardiola, Tello has featured prominently on the radar of both clubs in the past and is understood to have big fans in Jürgen Klopp and Roberto Martínez.
One of many South American talents nurtured by Porto – before being sold on for a massive profit – Colombia’s Juan Quintero is currently on loan at French club Rennes, where his sweet left foot has become the subject of interest from Southampton manager Ronald Koeman. A diminutive playmaker who is comfortable in central midfield or on either wing, the 22-year-old, valued at £16m, is comfortable on the ball, capable of leaving defenders trailing in his wake and has a keen eye for goal. Koeman had him watched as Rennes lost 1-0 against Paris Saint-Germain last weekend.
The Leicester City midfielder Riyad Mahrez is wanted by Manchester United, who have been as impressed as everyone else with the Algeria international’s many positive contributions to the Foxes’ surprisingly successful Premier League campaign to date. France Football say United want to snap him up in January, when one suspects they would have to pay at least 20 times the £350,000 Leicester shrewdies shelled out to bring the player from Le Havre in January 2014. PSG are also rumoured to be interested in securing the scrawl of Riyadh, who signed a new four-year deal at the King Power Stadium just three months ago.
The Rumour Mill can’t help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at suggestions Watford are considering bringing Emmanuel Adebayor to Vicarage Road on a short-term deal in January, with the Togolese striker currently a free agent having left Tottenham Hotspur by mutual consent that one suspects was a lot more mutual on the club’s part than it was on his.
Meanwhile in Brazil, Alexandre Pato, about whom Barney Ronay wrote at entertaining length last week, continues to be the subject of interest from Manchester United and West Ham, if the top DJs on Radio Globo are to be believed, while Manchester City have had one offer for Atlético Madrid’s 20-year-old Argentinian striker Ángel Correa, who has been likened to Sergio Agüero by no less a judge than his manager Diego Simeone.
