From Liverpool confirming bids to Real Madrid’s latest offer, it’s all about you know who yet again today...
After a few days of pure speculation, last night Liverpool’s Managing Director, Ian Ayre, spoke publicly about Luis Suarez, filling us in on a few things.
Speaking to Bloomberg, in quotes picked up by all the press today, Ayre said: “I’ve heard him say it would be great to have an opportunity to play for Arsenal and likewise Real Madrid. But he certainly hasn’t called me up and said he wants to leave.”
Maybe he doesn’t think you’re that important Ian? Anyway, Ayre also confirmed that Arsenal did, for realsies, make an offer for the Uruguayan.
“We had an offer which is fairly public from Arsenal. We said no to that offer, and as far as we’re concerned he turns up for training when he’s due back. And we’ll move forward on that basis.”
He went on to say this. “This is an ambitious young player, he’s talked in the media about wanting to play in the Champions League and all these things. It’s our job to convince Luis that this is the right place to achieve those things.” Good luck with that one Ian.
Anyway, back to the world of speculation and the Mirror say that this week Real Madrid will make their move for Suarez. The plan is to offer Gonzalo Higuain plus £10m, with the Argentinian valued at £30m by Real. The same story reports that Liverpool would rather have the cash, which may be good news for Arsenal, who are still hankering after Higuain.
Speaking of the Gunners, the Star report that Arsenal won’t bother to take up their first refusal clause on Cesc Fabregas, leaving the way open for Manchester United to make a move for the former Arsenal captain.
The Mirror report that David Moyes has lined up former player Marouane Fellaini if the Fabregas deal falls apart while the Guardian reckon that Moyes wants Fabregas AND Fellaini this summer. Crikey.
Over at Manchester City, it seems that the Stefan Jovetic deal is all but done (Mail) but the Alvaro Negredo deal is looking increasingly unlikely.
Celtic striker Gary Hooper is proving to be popular this morning. Harry Redknapp has long been linked with putting Hooper into QPR’s hoops but the Mail reckon that Norwich also fancy a bit of the English striker.
In other big-boned striker news, Danny Graham might be exiting Sunderland just six months after he arrived as Hull like the cut of his jib, especially in light of the fact that Nicklas Bendtner is proving too pricy for the Tigers.
In news you probably don’t care about but we feel obliged to tell you anyway, Graham Dorrans may swap his Wests, Brom for Ham (Sun), Fabio Quagliarella (remember him) may be headed to Southampton or Norwich (Times) and Swansea are running their eye over former Wigan man Franco Di Santo (Sun).
And finally Christian Benteke really, really doesn’t want to go back to Aston Villa, according to the Mirror, and he’s begging Spurs to up their bid for him. To be honest, if we pissed off Paul Lambert, we wouldn’t want to go back either…
