See you tomorrow
Well, you’ll see Jacob Steinberg actually. I’ll be back on Friday, when everything you’ve read below will probably have been sealed or debunked or confused yet further. Now it’s time for a lie down in a darkened room, or Arsenal v Liverpool, or a combination of the two. Whatever you’re doing this evening, have fun – and thanks a lot for your company.
Ok, it’s nearly wrapping-up time. What happened today? Two things of particular interest, so to recap:
- Mario Balotelli is on the verge of a season-long loan back at AC Milan.
- Saido Berahino has put in a transfer request at WBA – who’ve turned it down.
In case you missed it, this is Jamie Jackson’s intriguing story from the top of the show. Could Manchester United sign Neymar?
In the best of the day’s non-transfer news, Neymar will do well to become as big a global brand as Jermain Defoe.
That apart, there’ve been plenty of rumours, bids and the like flying around – but today has felt very much like the precursor to the main action.
Reggie Kramer, in Pennsylvania, seems to be on Team Barca:
“I just have to say that there is no way that Barcelona will sell Neymar after sending Pedro off to Stamford Bridge. Especially not with the ‘transfer ban’ preventing Arda from playing until January and Munir still too young. So Neymar can talk all he likes about joining United, but Barca won’t sell him during this window.”
It’s hard to tell what kind of talk has gone on, to be fair.
Richard Ingram asks:
“Balo v Falcao. When you add up the figures which was the worse gamble last season? Falcao’s weekly wages plus a loan fee were both greater than the transfer fee and wages of Mario? Maybe I’m biased as a Liverpool fan but even if we have to sub his wages on loan we will get something for him in the end. I wish him well should he go back to Italy. Pity it didn’t work out.”
Give me Falcao any day, mainly because he doesn’t offer up anywhere near as many opportunities for cod psychology.
Yet more West Brom news! Their 22-year-old midfielder, Liam O’Neil, has joined Dean Saunders’ Chesterfield – of League One – for an undisclosed fee.
Here’s our latest take on the Berahino situation, brought to you by James Riach:
More West Brom news! ‘Sky Sources’ say they’ll let Joleon Lescott leave once they’ve signed another defender (and, remember, they’ve been linked with Jonny Evans). Aston Villa have been mentioned in conjunction with Lescott recently...
Oh, is that the Morrisons a short walk from the King Power? I got very briefly confused last Thursday while muddling around the retail park that store is situated in, seeking a short cut to the stadium. It was ok though. I made it.
Damian Matthews has emailed about Manchester City and, particularly because he adopts the Andre Gray Scale, I will reproduce it all:
“Has anyone emailed in a need for Man City to sign De Bruyne yet? As a City fan I don’t see it, De Bruyne doesn’t seem to have the physicality to operate in the pseudo-central-defensive-midfield role where we currently deploy Toure/Fernandinho/Fernando nor does he seem a ball carrier to displace Sterling/Navas/Nasri further forward. So really City are looking at a David Silva back-up, basically a “new James Milner”, only one that costs £50M+ and is massively less amiable/humble/willing…
“If City are going to flutter away that kind of money on a prima donna who already famously left the BPL because he wasn’t inserted immediately as first choice in a championship winning team in his youth then we may as well hijack the rumoured Chelsea deal for Pogba, who looks a cut above De Bruyne and an easy 7.5 on your Andre Gray scale.”
A regular correspondent, J.R. in Illinois, is a Baggies fan. His succinct take reads: “This Baggies fan says Berahino should be sure the door doesn’t hit him on the way out. He can go sit in QPR’s car park. Rondon looks good enough. Get some mad duckets for Berahino and move on.”
Mad duckets.
Albert Adomah could be on the move this week having told manager Aitor Karanka he wants to leave Middlesbrough. Dropped at the weekend
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) August 24, 2015
Ed’s got more for you there. And it’s an interesting one. Not *quite* sure how good Adomah is but nor am I particularly sure how good Karanka is, to be honest. Boro don’t often find the best attacking balance for all their options, for my money – and lord knows Karanka’s spending enough of Boro’s.
Karl Gibbons is not a Baggies fan, but knows his mind where Berahino is concerned:
“They should DEFINITELY sell him, if they are being offered north of £20M – it would be foolish not to. They have Pulis in charge, so that is as near as damn it, a nailed on Premier League place for the foreseeable, so sell him up and put that money to use in the remaining week or if not hold out to next summer and buy Berahino back for £9 million!”
£9m! He should have just bought Andre Gray!
Firming up the Balotelli story from earlier, an update here. He will rejoin Milan on loan, but it’ll be purely that – no loan fee and no obligation to buy:
Be good to hear what any Baggies fans think about the Berahino situation. Stay? Go? Stick? Twist? Get in touch and I’ll stick your insights up here.
What now for West Brom and their star man? Or is he really their star man? Me, I’d let him go for the kind of money being talked about. He’s not worth almost two Salomon Rondons.
West Brom have rejected a written transfer request from Saido Berahino!
That’s news, no? You can read what little the Baggies have to say about it right here.
Whilst out shopping on Newcastle's charming Northmberland Street circa 2001, I once saw Stefan Schwarz looking at kettles and similar kitchen appliances in Fenwick's.
He seemed unimpressed - although whether that was with Fenwick's appliance selection, Sunderland's team at the time or just the North-East in general is still open to debate.
Dick Advocaat seems similarly enamoured with life up there at the moment.
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Everton may not have tied up the signing of Leandro Rodriguez yet, but they’re apparently giving a medical to River Plate (Argentina, this time) defender Ramiro Funes Mori – and that one should go through soon, work permit..errr...permitting. Roberto Martinez admitted yesterday that a deal was in the offing.
Told that Norwich want in the region of £6m from Bournemouth for Lewis Grabban. Two bids already rejected #ncfc #afcb
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) August 24, 2015
Lewis Grabban news from Ed. It’d be surprising if Norwich let this happen, unless they had someone pretty impressive coming in. They’ve already been in the market for a striker all summer....
Galatasaray will land Jason Denayer on loan. Player is in Istanbul. #mcfc pic.twitter.com/kv2Lohhl36
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) August 24, 2015
That’s an interesting one, assuming it goes through. Denayer already plays for Belgium and did superbly on loan at Celtic last season – but the signing of Nicolas Otamendi makes it at least a year before he’d have any realistic shout at Manchester City.
You know the earlier rumour that Jonathan de Guzman could join Bournemouth? An Italian report (and where would any of us be today without those?) now says he might agree to join Sunderland. For the love of god, man....
Ryan Gilmore knows what Manchester United’s real transfer deadline aim should be:
“I think what we all need is for LVG to be prevented from using the word ‘PROCESS’ as a get out clause for basically everything. Imagine the clarity we would all have, fans and media alike, it would be amazing.”
So, ok, this Neymar story....what if Manchester United have bid £140m to Barcelona for his services – and all on the day that the global economy seems to be on the brink of meltdown? That is what the Brazilian newspaper, Globo, says they’ve done. It would be a world record transfer if it ever happened, and the report says that no deal will go through in this window – but the clubs will continue their dialogue into the January free-for-all. Intrigued? Appalled? Sceptical? EXCITED?
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A done deal involving a Premier League club! I thought about making this a ‘Key Event’ but decided that might be a bit much given today’s scarcity....anyway, Arsenal’s very-highly-rated Gedion Zelalem has joined Rangers on loan until January. Pleased, Gooners and ‘Gers? I must admit, Rangers is a big-club environment and all but Zelalem strikes me as too big a prospect to be fine-tuning at Morton and Alloa. Then again, if the latter is good enough for Michael Chopra....
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As pointed out by Ravi Raman, Balotelli isn’t having the best time of it from commenters on Instagram. Do people not have their own lives to live, really?
In case you’re coming in from work early: no done deals in the Premier League, or in many other places, so far today. But look, this is just the warm-up act really. Mario Balotelli looks like going back to AC Milan though.
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Leeds need a quality attacking midfielder/striker who has the talent and guile to help us achieve promotion. Any of the following will do: Jonny Howson, Robert Snodgrass, Luciano Becchio, Max Gradel.
Imagine if we had one of them.
Would you settle for Forestieri, JazzHorse?
Who has surprised you in a clothing store recently?
I bumped into Branislav Ivanovic in the Shepherd's Bush Westfield the day after Chelsea's Charity Shield defeat to Arsenal. He didn't look in the mood to stop for a selfie and was moving the quickest I've seen him this season.
Perhaps he was a bit surprised at being bumped into.
To those slightly too quick on the emails: the hyperbole two updates ago was tongue in cheek. Come on!
Talking of which, news from Alty:
@NickAmes82 Altrincham need to sign a keeper, two defenders, two ball playing midfielders, a winger and a striker. Before Saturday ideally.
— Niall Finnegan (@microdilemma) August 24, 2015
Any super-keen, super-talented free agents out there?
Because if it is, then needless to say it’s massive news.
“Mario’s just deleted all his Liverpool pics off Instagram,” reports Ammar Ahmed. I’ve been out of the loop for the last 10 minutes, catching one final caffeine boost – is this true?
The aforementioned Iturbe was a disappointment at Roma last season, although he is just 22 and showed some tremendous things for Verona before that:
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Watford’s requirements...
My team, Watford; desperately need one of two things:
A) The manager to actually stick to his mantra of "not playing long ball", and tell the players to stop lumping balls to the heads of defenders stood behind either Deeney or Ighalo.
B) To sign an effing tall, strong striker. Y'know, like Gestede. Oh, wait, QSF explicitly pulled out of a deal for him due to the dictum mentioned in point A.
I, albeit a know-nothing, am not at all sure about Watford’s manager or the wisdom of amassing such a bloated squad of (in some cases) interchangeables, even if some can presumably be passed on to Granada or Udinese with scant fuss if required.
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Bed shopping with David White...
As a young child I was fortunate enough to be taken shopping in Warrington. It was in MFI that I spotted David White and his wife buying a bed. He looked lean and full of youthful zest back then. That move to Leeds really didn't work out.
Roma seem reasonably intent in making things interesting – or theoretically interesting anyway. Everton and West Ham both want to sign Juan Manuel Iturbe from the Serie A club, and this report says their director of football Walter Sabatini is in London to listen to both, with the former in pole position. The snag, Premier League fans? Iturbe will need some convincing – and Sabatini is trying to flog them Gervinho instead....
@NickAmes82 what Spurs need to do? Defensive midfielder, second striker, midfielder/winger with pace.
— steep the tea bun (@steamyteabuns) August 24, 2015
Yeah? Can’t argue with much of that...
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Who has surprised you in a clothing store recently?
Exactly the sort of email that should be coming in, courtesy of Chris Gardiner:
“I’ve just seen Manuel Pellegrini going in to Gap (other bland/good clothing stores may be available). Could this be a sign that he’s content with his current squad? PS he’s got lovely blue eyes when he doesn’t look frightened.”
Certainly beats the time I saw Gok Wan in Uniqlo.
Jeffery Rosie has a bleak view of Arsenal’s hopes for the next week, and perhaps beyond:
“I think we all know what ideally Arsenal needs, which is a world class striker in the form of what City have in Aguero. The reality is I just don’t see any available as there is just no way Benzema is coming (insert eat my hat line here), and for that matter he isn’t as good as Aguero anyhow (although works in the same way as Giroud holding up the ball so would fit in seamlessly). So I guess the best we can hope for is Sanchez develops the finishing of Henry, and Walcott finds his form from a couple of years ago for an entire season, then we would have a chance. Both of which I would argue is more likely than stealing Real Madrid’s leading man.”
In the Championship, austerity’s Middlesbrough are likely to bring in the AC Milan goalkeeper Michael Agazzi on loan with an option for a permanent deal.
From Italy, where the flow of transfer rumours is a constant source of amusement, comes news that Roma want to sign the PSG left-back Lucas Digne. If he doesn’t arrive (and might this be tied in with the Coentrao story we saw earlier?), then they’ll go for Schalke’s Sead Kolasinac. The left-back market looks like becoming one big, unseemly domino chain.
People seem to have little time for Manchester United’s slightly shambling attempt at a ‘galactico’ policy. People such as Josh G:
“Wouldn’t Utd do better to stop harassing superstars like Bale and Neymar regarding moves that only look likely in the coming years, if at all, and whilst time is of the essence focus on more realistic targets? They aren’t exactly the most glamorous of options on the world footballing table right now, why bother wasting time on players that have very little reason to actually move on. Perhaps this might prevent them from getting into situations where their interest is used to grab a more lucrative contract such as with Sergio Ramos.”
Patrick Crumlish writes: “Mario not The One Who Got Away, more like The One I Can’t Believe Was Signed In The First Place. I don’t think Liverpool need anyone new as much as Rodgers needs to use what he has - give Firmino a run, don’t let Lucas go, don’t alienate Ings or Origi.”
Fair, fair. The question, I suppose, is whether Rodgers has signed players of sufficient quality in the first place.
Come on then, football fans – doesn’t matter who you support, at what level....let us know exactly what your club needs to be doing in the remainder of the transfer window and why....
The latest from Dom on Yannick Bolasie:
Am told "no dialogue" between #cpfc and #thfc and "no offer" for Yannick Bolasie at present. Winger remains absent on compassionate leave.
— Dominic Fifield (@domfifield) August 24, 2015
The deal is long since done – as he showed yesterday – but Pedro returned to Spain to give a farewell press conference at Barcelona today. All of his old team-mates turned up. It is good to leave somewhere well.
Someone who won’t be staying in England is the Algerian international goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi, who had been on trial with Bolton but has now signed for Antalyaspor and will play alongside Samuel Eto’o.
Stephen Bell on Mkhitaryan: “Although I’m still not convinced there’s a whole lot in the rumours of Mkhitaryan going to Liverpool, I do wonder if Rodgers is looking to be able to utilise multiple formations throughout the season, and he doesn’t really have a left-sided midfielder. Unless you stick Ibe out there.”
Good point about the left, and Ibe. An area where Liverpool do look short.
Karim Benzema seems to be getting his head down at Real currently. Any move to Arsenal would have to happen reasonably quickly, you’d think.
Bayern Munich have denied they are in the running to sign Kevin de Bruyne - it seems like City or nothing this week.
— Stuart Brennan (@StuBrennanMEN) August 24, 2015
A new suggestion from Manchester about the De Bruyne situation...
Suggestions going around that, Zaza or no Zaza, West Ham might be reviving their interest in a loan move for Emmanuel Adebayor.....if an agreement can be made on wages.
A bit of news from Germany that I didn’t mention earlier – Hoffenheim have signed Eduardo Vargas, the Chilean forward who was at QPR last season.
Vargas can do this:
It’s that post-lunch lull now, isn’t it? Which can only mean something big will be afoot soon! Surely some of you are hanging around club training grounds at the moment?
Nick Watson asks: “Do you have any news on Mkhitaryan who has been linked with Liverpool over the last few days?? This link has coincided with him playing better than ever for Dortmund which means he won’t be moving in all probability, but he does want to play in England by all accounts. Would be nice if he came though even if he might be an unnecessary luxury?”
I have no new information Nick, save for the rumblings you’ve seen that something may be afoot. I love Mkhitaryan – outstanding player – although you wonder where he’d play. An upgrade on Adam Lallana?
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Here is a quick news take on that Balotelli story:
I hate this whining about the transfer window being open when the season is on. In fact I hate the transfer window.
Remember when it was open until about the end of March? We survived all this ‘instability’ then. And a season-long transfer window might make the super-elite stockpile players less, or loan them out more readily if they could be brought back on demand.
The only way you could have a transfer window aligned to the season is if all European league seasons started and finished at the same time (or near as dammit) and that is categorically not going to happen any time soon.
So it remains excuse No674 for managers when they drop points in the first month of the season.
Ok, but does this not miss the point about the bottlenecks that we now get in August and again in January? It happened to an extent at the March deadline too, albeit in less frenzied times, but I don’t think anyone can say things are the same as back then.
Wasn’t gone long, was he? This is how he did at Milan last time around. Could he be one that got away, Liverpool supporters? Or was he just a weird, kneejerk signing who the manager made little attempt to put at ease from the off?
That Balotelli news:
Gazzetta reporting Mario Balotelli will join Milan tomorrow: #LFC will pay half the wage for the first season, then option to buy 4 Milan
— mirkocorli (@mirkocorli) August 24, 2015
No, THIS is where we’re at. La Gazzetta dello Sport says tomorrow will be ‘B-day’ (make a joke as you will...), with Mario Balotelli confirming his return to AC Milan. It will apparently be on loan for a season, with Liverpool picking up half of his wages, before Milan get an option to buy!
Carlos Edwards has signed back on at Millwall after recovering from a long-term injury. Edwards’ old club, Ipswich, have just taken a punt on ex-Stoke striker James Alabi on a free. This is where we’re at this lunchtime.
From Steve Mitchell: “Regarding Cameron Yule’s suggestion to start a rumour that you are wanted by the Man Utd press release team, there’s a good chance that it could backfire as well. Imagine the indignity of LvG being questioned about this rumour, only to vehemently deny any need for your services, thereby triggering a backlash from Guardian readers calling you a Judas for agitating for a move to pastures anew. Then, as you seek to repair the damage you’ve done to your reputation, you’d probably end up releasing a hostage-style photo meant to demonstrate your strong workplace relations with Barry Glendenning. Not a good idea, Nick.”
Decent point Steve, especially as Barry was sitting next to me all morning but has suddenly....gone. Can’t count on anyone these days.
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Ok, back now – and yeah, sorry about the timing there. I’m as surprised as the rest of you. Guess it shows that Ed Woodward’s not just a pretty face after all.
A boy’s gotta eat, so I’m nipping down for a sandwich. If any #HotNeymarNews breaks in the next 10 minutes, we’ll make sure someone tells you.
Another possible Italian departure from the Premier League is Fabio Borini. Inter Milan have been strongly linked but what’s this? Are Fiorentina about to step in and nab him, too?
Jermaine Defoe's PA needs to restock the fridge? Great for those with experience in diary *and* dairy management,
— Spirit of Mirko (@mirkobolesan) August 24, 2015
Let’s not pretend that ad isn’t the most astonishing thing to have happened today.
Cameron Yule emails:
“Regarding Mark Judd’s question about Man Utd realising that people only say they’d like to move therein order to get a raise from their current club, I wonder if this concept could be extended. Let me give you an example: Nick, you’re not very happy with your current deal at the Guardian. You’ve considered leaving for the Telegraph and the Times, but a) you want to write for a proper paper and b) you want people to actually read what you’ve written. Therefore, you decide to go to the top of Guardian Towers and demand a raise. When you’re refused, you go back to the sportsdesk and whisper to Jacob Steinberg – he seems the talkative type – that Manchester United are interested in signing you for their press release team. When this news reaches the top of
Guardian Towers, they think, “What?! Manchester United! We can’t lose a member of our MBM/Rumour Mill/Fiverteam to them!” and give you your raise. The same could also work for doctors, groundstaff, stewards, food servers, PA announcers. Just an idea.”
A lot to work with there, Cameron, but I’ll have to ask Jacob whether he’d be up for such chicanery.
Do you agree with Tony Pulis that the transfer window is a pain in the neck? He thinks it should all be shut before the season starts, and Jose Mourinho said something very similar two or three weeks back. It certainly means clubs start – are almost obliged to start – as something less than the finished article. Only when things shake down after the September internationals do we get a wheel grip on who’s looking like what. Does that matter? Is it disruptive? Does this whole farrago help anybody?
This is Leandro Rodriguez, who Everton might be signing. That’s the Uruguayan River Plate, eff why eye:
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More news from the continent – Fiorentina want Borussia Dortmund’s German international right-back Kevin Grosskreutz, whose star has fallen to the extent that he played for their second string in Germany’s fourth tier at the weekend...
“You’d think Man Utd would have wised up to the fact that they are the fall guys in the ‘I can get a better deal from my present employer if I link myself to Man Utd’ routine,” thinks Mark Judd. “How many times as it happened now? Not sure how United can counter the routine though. Any suggestions?”
Floor’s yours.
Some good detail on the ownership situation of West Ham target Zaza:
The Zaza to Juventus deal was a weird one, tied up in Italy's co-ownership stuff. As I remember, Juventus got him from Sampdoria in 2013, possibly for around £3 million, but then immediately sold off 25% of him to Sassuolo for £2.5 million. A year later, Sassuolo paid a further £7.5 million to own him outright, but Juve could buy him back for £15 million if they acted before the end of June 2015. They did that, but then also transferred Domenico Beradi back to Sassuolo as part of the deal. It's a weird one.
Anyway, no Juve seem to have decided he's surplus to requirements (only two months after buying him) and West Ham have bid £3 million for a loan with a £15 million agreed fee at the end of the year. And he's good! He's actually good!
Dick Advocaat wants to sell most of his Sunderland team and at least one of them could be off pronto. Bologna want to sign Emanuele Giaccherini, according to this. Giaccherini is “not a player for England”, said Advocaat last week, which is a pretty heavy smackdown really.
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Max Robinson writes: “Why on earth do the newspapers insist on Benzema coming to Arsenal (and to a lesser extent Cavani). Who would Real Madrid replace him with? And why would they sell him? I know they are short of their galactico signing of the summer but I just can’t seem to see any striker in any league going their way. Maybe Aguero, Ibrahimovic or Lewandowski, but somehow I can’t see any of that happening. Do I lack the insight of other journalists and readers who seem convinced that he is currently on a chartered plane for Heathrow (or Stansted or Luton, where do footballers land when they make their transfers to a London club?)?”
On their feet, Max, that’s where! Right on their feet in this super shiny Premier League of ours!
All hotting up now, eh?
News from Spain! Marca says PSG are poised to take Fábio Coentrão, darling of many a recent transfer window, from Real Madrid after failing to sign the Monaco left-back Layvin Kurzawa.
Have West Ham found their striker? It seems that the Juventus forward Simone Zaza – who signed from Sassuolo in the summer, although I think it was a deal somewhat tied up in other things (perhaps someone knows the specifics?) – could join on loan with a view to a permanent move....
Big-spending Championship news, as the early leaders Ipswich are – according to Polish reports – to sign defender Piotr Malarczyk from Koronie Kielce for a sum that would equate to...erm...£8,500. We’ll see. They don’t have £9m to spend though so they’re not a threat to your club.
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Possible Premier League arrival! Italian sources claim that Napoli (and ex-Swansea) midfielder Jonathan de Guzman could join Bournemouth on loan. A deal has been agreed between the clubs, and now it’s up to the player. Like that, Cherries fans?
A bit of Kevin de Bruyne conjecture – Bild reckons the Wolfsburg midfielder would prefer to go to Bayern Munich, which could make his much-touted move to Manchester City a little tricky. Do City need him at current rate of knots, anyway?
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@Modhabobo @NickAmes82 'Arsenal confirm French striker will be arriving at the Emirates' Sanago returns from his loan spell.....
— John Borman (@Grugster) August 24, 2015
(Don’t worry – he hasn’t! But yes, this kind of thing is grist to the mill)
Now this is the sort of signing we’re after. Barrow, from the Conference, have signed New Zealand international midfielder Benjamin van den Broek from Romanian club CFR Cluj. If you see any more obscure delights like, or than, this then please shove them our way.
In the Championship, where half of the division are surely on the road to hell if they don’t make good their gambling with a quickfire promotion, Leeds look as if they’re in for a busy few days. They’d like to sign Fernando Forestieri, we know that, and they would also love to get hold of the exciting winger Anthony Limbombe from Dutch club NEC for a seven-figure fee. Limbombe was left out of their match against Ajax at the weekend, so it’s one to watch.
One player who could end up at Tottenham is Victor Wanyama. It seems the Kenyan wants out of Southampton and has told the Saints as such. Now can – and will – Mauricio Pochettino cough up? Probably a better bet than Eric Dier as a holding midfielder, you’d think...
On a side note, anyone else wonder if Southampton might be in for a long-ish season? I know we all thought it last time too, but there are only so many major changes a team can take unless the management is *absolutely* top notch....
Craig Fawcett enquires: “Any good news for Spurs fans? And when I say good, not Berahino related. He’s too much money. Why we stood by and let Dzeko go to Roma… he would’ve been perfect for us. We either need a young hotshot who can develop in Kane’s shadow and fill in when needed, or a veteran who we can get for £10m. Kane has to be the main man though.”
Maybe, although I’m a terrible, terrible person who still isn’t 100% certain about Harry Kane as a long-term ‘main man’. Dzeko would have been a very good addition, I agree. Spurs look light on both quality and experience up top, for my money.
@NickAmes82 clickbait websites know Arsenal won't sign anyone, so they do Arsenal + CL club striker headlines because they know we'll click
— Modhabobo (@Modhabobo) August 24, 2015
Modern media – exposed!
One of our Much-Valued Commenters underneath this article has reminded me of when Barcelona were linked with Nadir (the joke is in the name) Belhadj. You laughed then, you won’t be laughing now, because Belhadj has indeed realised his dream of playing alongside Xavi – for Al $add.
Manchester United are interested in Gareth Bale, say Sky Sources, so we’ll leave that one there for now. Bale and Neymar, though. Bale and Neymar!!! Eh?
Reports in the Midlands claim that West Brom are in for Jonny Evans and the Cardiff ‘keeper David Marshall. How does that make you feel, Baggies fans?
More Turkish delights might be on the cards. Papiss Cisse of Newcastle is being linked with a move to Galatasaray, which in turn means the Magpies could make a play for Wolves hot-shot Benik Afobe, who the Championship club said last week was Definitely Not For Sale. What does your gut feel about these?
I've been watching Berahino for 2 years now but I honestly can't say what he brings to the team. He doesn't exactly bust a gut running at defences, he isn't particularly skillful, and his passing is a bit wayward. If that's worth what I reckon will end up at about 22 million then Rondon looks like a bargain at his price.
You agree? I only measure transfers in Andre Grays, so this one’s hard to work out. I think Berahino is quite a lot better than Andre Gray, so is he worth 2.5 Andre Grays (AG2.5)?
Who has been your favourite transfer window character of the last few years? There’ve been a few, and that’s before the obvious ports of call such as Jim White and Harry Redknapp. What about Duncan Jenkins? Samuel Rhodes?
News from Italy is that Inter Milan are expecting a response from Wolfsburg today to their bid for the Croatian winger Ivan Perisic. It would be for a loan, by the looks of it, but you wonder whether Wolfsburg would be keen on the idea given that Kevin de Bruyne may also be on the way out.
“So Arsenal have shut up shop?” asks one commenter. Have they? Gunners fans, are you expecting to see a gift-wrapped Benzema or Cavani taking an official club selfie a week from now?
Manchester United goalkeeper on the way out!! Yes. The Turkish newspaper Sabah reckons Besiktas could be signing the goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard on loan.
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In employment news – because it’s early and this is a necessarily broad church – Jermain Defoe is advertising for a new ‘executive PA’. If you know how to stock a fridge and source a half-decent interior designer, seems you might be in with a shout....
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In case you missed it, Everton have reiterated that John Stones is going nowhere. Which makes me thankful that next Tuesday’s deadline falls at 6pm rather than midnight, because this one probably ain’t over.
Jamie’s article also explains that Everton are close to signing Leandro Rodriguez. Tell us what you like about him, if you know his work well – and even if you don’t, because that doesn’t stop everyone.
That Mario Balotelli story will be one to keep the eye on today, I’d have thought. “I don’t speak about the market,” says the Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, leaving us exactly where we were.
“Looking forward to the Chelsea attacking line up consisting of Hazard, Pedro and Neymar!” says ‘Magnusson’, getting into the spirit of things Below The Line. I must admit that made me laugh; too much caffeine already.
We begin with some hot breaking news about Lewis Grabban. Bournemouth sold him to Norwich a year ago but they miss him. A lot. So much they have made two bids to sign him back from the Canaries – but Alex Neil is having none of it! “I’m not giving any players to a potential rival,” he has just growled – and if you’ve ever seen Alex Neil, you might expect that to be thatl
Good morning
Transfers? Sticky old business. No, sorry, you’re right – not really the time for wisecracks. I meant Serious Old Business, because the transfer window is eight days away and your team has not signed anyone!
So welcome to this rolling tumbleweed of hot transfer air information, where we sort the wheat from the chaff, the brazen lies from the hard truths, the car window tittle tattle from the confirmatory faxes/emails/owner’s son’s tweets. The only certainty here is that YOUR team needs signings NOW!
Who might this be a particularly busy week-and-a-tiny-bit for, Guardian keyboard-pounders and ‘@FootballAgentITK’ twitter accounts aside? Several Premier League clubs would appear to need a hand or two. Dick Advocaat has already pleaded for extra resources to turn Sunderland around, and Saturday’s draw with Swansea may not entirely have persuaded him otherwise. Do West Ham need a striker or two to offset their injury list and consecutive home defeats? Will Spurs cough up for Saido Berahino, given a convenient rest by Tony Pulis yesterday? Are Norwich finally going to be linked with a striker who fancies some decent home cooking in East Anglia? And, surely Manchester United couldn’t have guaranteed Neymar a new Barcelona contract sign Neymar?
If that’s not enough, clubs in the Championship seem content to go hell for leather at the moment too. Last week they all bid £9m for Andre Gray in scenes reminiscent of that Peep Show episode where everyone tries to get each other sectioned. Burnley ended up making him their poster boy for pre-deadline daftness – you can bet there’ll be more where that came form.
Deals will be done, hands will be shaken, pursed-lipped photos will be posed for. If you’ve got any transfer deadline wishes, hot tips or simply fancy a chat, email or tweet the addresses above – and away we go.....
Updated
I bumped into Mark Schwarzer in Morrisons during my lunch break today. He looked fairly happy and was very friendly, perhaps taking advantage of the current deal on Jameson's?