There’s a whole lot of ins, outs and shaking all about going on at Old Trafford.
We can’t recall a summer when Manchester United so dominated the transfer chat. Maybe Alex Ferguson kept his business quieter, maybe the press didn’t overdo the rumours when he was in charge or maybe the new regime is a bit more open.
Whatever it is, there are today, as there has been all transfer window, a plethora of stories about current, former and possibly future Manchester United players.
First up is a possible; Cesc Fabregas. The Mail leads with the news that the Barca man has told ‘friends’ that he wants to move to Manchester United. In the Sun, Fabregas is ‘worried’ about his future at the Spanish champions and in the Star Fabregas is going nowhere as Barcelona have told David Moyes he’s wasting his time trying to sign the midfielder. One of them has to be right, surely?
Next up is a current Man U player, Wayne Rooney. The Guardian say he is not for sale, while the Mirror report that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who has already had one bid rejected for the England striker, is ‘calm’ about the move.
Then we have a former star of Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite Real Madrid saying the Portuguese wonder is going nowhere, the Manchester Evening News report he might be targeted by David Moyes again if they fail to land Fabregas.
If it wasn’t for all that Red Devils talk, Luis Suarez would be heading the rumours again. Instead he’s bumped down to second billing, even though all the papers have stories on the Uruguayan. The Independent say that Suarez may ask the Premier League to look at his contract clauses. The Telegraph, and others, carry Brendan Rodgers quotes about ‘loyalty’ and ‘owing fans’ while the Express say that the Anfield bosses have nudged Suarez’s price tag up to £50million. Add in the news from the Sun that Real Madrid have pulled out of the race to sign Suarez and the wantaway striker may be stuck where he is, whether he likes it or not.
Whatever happens to Suarez, there might be a new striker arriving at Liverpool as the Reds are seriously on the tail of Roberto Soldado. With Valencia needing a sale by August 3 for tax reasons (Mirror), the race between Spurs and Liverpool for the 28-year-old could be over soon. Whoever wants him will have to meet the £26m asking fee though...
Speaking of Spurs, Gareth Bale’s future might be sorted as AVB says the club are in talks with the Welshman over a new deal, though the Mirror say his future is ‘unresolved’.
Elsewhere, Roberto Martinez in confident of holding on to Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, Blackpool are eyeing up Keith Andrews and Stephen Hunt while Klaas-Jan Huntelaar wants a crack at the Premier League, according to the Sun. Don’t we all Klaas, don’t we all.
