Barcelona want Adama Traoré back. The borderline-unplayable Wolves winger started his career at Camp Nou back in 2013, but the Catalan giants showed no patience whatsoever and now here we all are. Wolves will be reluctant to let him go, but the price tag will be a pretty penny, and at least you can be sure they’ll reinvest the money wisely.
On that subject, Manchester United may soon have £150m burning a hole in their pocket. That’s what they’re asking for Paul Pogba, a price that includes a £30m discount. Neither Real Madrid nor Juventus are biting yet.
But if the move does go through, they’ll use that cash – plus the extra £15m they’re asking Roma for Chris Smalling – to tempt Lionel Messi to Old Trafford. United would face competition from Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Internazionale and … Juventus, where he would pair up with Cristiano Ronaldo.
It suddenly seems so obvious now, this is always how it was going to end.
Having said all that, the smart money remains on Messi staying put at Barça, once all the folk he doesn’t like are turfed out on their ear, and the club have bought some hot new talent. The aforementioned Traoré may help, as might the £94m signing of Inter striker Lautaro Martínez and 18-year-old Brighton reserve goalie Carl Rushworth, a comparative snip at £4m.
In other keeper news, Chelsea are planning to wash their hands of Kepa Arrizabalaga. They want André Onana, who you may remember flapping around as Ajax shipped a comfortable lead in the Champions League semi against Spurs last year. Still, an upgrade’s an upgrade.
Across London, Arsenal will put Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Özil up for sale in the summer.
And finally Everton want a new striker. Accordingly, they’ve asked Grêmio about nominative determinism’s Everton Soares.
