God bless Manchester United, who are at least trying, if perhaps a little too hard. Here’s the list of midfielders they’re currently thinking about buying: Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, Leicester City’s James Maddison, Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, Juventus’s Emre Can, Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell, Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, and Widecombe Fair’s Old Tom Cobley.
Having said that, if they land Kroos, Paul Pogba will be sent packing the other way, so perhaps this is a more coherent and forensic rebuilding strategy than it appears at first glance after all.
Should Villa lose their star man, they’ll placate their fans by bringing in Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea. They’re also thinking about a bid for Stoke keeper Jack Butland, with Tom Heaton injured.
Thomas Lemar, a regular of The Mill in 2018, is back, baby! The Atlético Madrid attacker is in the sights of both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal are also planning to bolster that defence, and who could blame them? Bournemouth’s Nathan Aké and Juventus pair Daniele Rugani and Merih Demiral are central to Mikel Arteta’s plans. However Leicester are hoping to win the race for Rugani.
Gabriel Barbosa has been banging them in for Flamengo, where he’s been playing on loan from Internazionale. West Ham United fancy the Brazilian striker, who trades under the nickname of Gabigol. Chelsea, in the wake of packing half of their frontline off to the second city, are also interested.
Finally, Nottingham Forest are hoping to snare the more prosaically titled Brighton striker Glenn Murray.
