No1s and No2s. No sniggering there, please. But Arsenal are looking at Roberto Jiménez, the Olympiakos goalkeeper. Could he be a No1 at the Emirates? It depends what you think of Petr Cech’s start at Arsenal, but the Spaniard, who is 29 and gives Cech a run for his money in the height stakes, at 6ft 4in, could be on his way to north London. He is also four years younger. Whither David Ospina? Withering, far from the first team.
At the other end of the pitch, Wenger might well be shaking things up. Poland midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak is rated at £21m for his efforts helping Sevilla to win the Europa League in May, but is he staying in – or is he leaving – Spain? But Arsenal may lose out to PSG for Faouzi Ghoulam, the Napoli and Algeria defender, who is 24. But Arsenal have the history, I hear you plead, why would he go to Paris?
But José Mourinho has got some good news, after what even the mighty Portuguese might admit has not been his best week. Chelsea will finally complete the signing of Fluminense attacker Kenedy, as he has been granted a work permit. Whether the Brazilian, who is 19 and cost around £6.7m, will actually do any work for Chelsea is a different matter. Vitesse, in the Netherlands, perhaps, might get a closer look at him. Talking of Chelsea, Claudio Ranieri and Leicester have agreed a deal for Switzerland captain Gokhan Inler. The Foxes have beaten off competition from Schalke to sign the Napoli midfielder on a three-year-contract for a fee in the region of £3m.
Over in Belgium, Anderlecht and Belgium midfielder Dennis Praet, 21, is disappointed Aston Villa haven’t come back in for him because he’d prefer a move there over West Brom, whose manager, Tony Pulis, has made an enquiry for Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Federico Fazio. If Fazio does go, Spurs could sign Andriy Yarmalenko, from Dynamo Kiev. He is not exactly a direct replacement, as the 25-year-old is a striker or winger.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman said there is “no way” captain Jose Fonte will leave St Mary’s Stadium. However, the Dutchman is sizing up £10m Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk. Mmm, coincidence? And Southampton have asked about Napoli’s £8.5m French defender Kalidou Koulibaly. We’ll see if it gets to more than sweet whisperings in their ear.
Sunderland, meanwhile, are interested in Liverpool striker Fabio Borini. That is a repeat of last year. But this Rumour Mill is not a repeat. And, as promised, the Mill did not mention Stones or De Gea.
