What with FA Cup upsets, Roger Federer returning, the New England Patriots ruining everyone’s fun and Leicester being rubbish at football, there’s a nostalgic vibe to 2017 so far. Joining the party are strutting Italian giants Milan and Internazionale, set to reclaim their place at Europe’s top table on a tidal wave of cash. Inter’s biggest swoop could be in the dugout – they want Chelsea’s Antonio Conte to return to Italy and helm their revival alongside a giant sack of cash.
Inter could ruin Chelsea’s summer twice over if they beat the Blues to Manchester City outcast Sergio Agüero, who could also join PSG. Or Real Madrid. Or not go anywhere. This one could run and run, folks. If Agüero does make a move, Pep Guardiola could add Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to his speedy attacking arsenal. That’s where Milan come in, windmilling wildly and ready to make the Gabonese striker their marquee signing.
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann’s ‘image advisor’ has chosen an unfortunate time to compare the Frenchman to David Beckham. Sébastien Bellencontre has blown hot air into this flagging yarn by claiming Griezmann wants the Manchester United No7 shirt worn by Beckham, Ronaldo and Memphis Depay. United are also keen on Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij and Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio, with Anthony Martial acting as ballast in the Old Trafford revolving door before being spat out in the direction of PSG.
Two men who watched the January window shut with a heavy sigh are Hull’s Andrew Robertson and Swansea’s Fernando Llorente – both kept on to fight relegation battles with big clubs sniffing around. Robertson will choose between Liverpool and Stoke in the summer, while Llorente might be nodding in crosses from Leverkusen’s Hakan Calhanoglu at Chelsea next season.
Another summer deal could see Alexandre Lacazette head to Arsenal or West Ham, if either pay his £60m buyout clause, which seems unlikely. Everton and Tottenham will leave them to it, targeting cut-price Feyenoord starlet Ozancan Kokcu instead. We close with a couple more blasts from the past: Georgios Samaras, once the best striker at Manchester City, is set to join Real Zaragoza, and in a move straight out of 2001, Yakubu is on trial at Coventry City.
