Liverpool have completed one signing and are close to another, Chelsea are playing hardball over Edinson Cavani and Wayne Rooney will soon have a big decision to make about his future.
Some of you will know what it means, but for those of you struggling to grasp the last part of the headline above, words to those effect (to the tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight... see video below) will soon be ringing around the Kop next season once a deal to sign Sunderland ‘keeper Simon Mignolet is completed and that is expected to happen sooner rather than later for a fee of around £11 million.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt9yAjXmXso
Another confirmed deal on Merseyside is the signing of Luis Alberto from Sevilla in another sign of Liverpool’s determination to get their business done good and early this summer.
Less certain is the future of Wayne Rooney at Manchester United, who is set for showdown talks with his former Everton boss David Moyes to determine whether or not he will stick around Old Trafford.
The impending meeting between the pair is carried in nearly all of the papers this morning, with the Star suggesting that Chelsea are firm favourites to sign the England striker if he leaves, while the Mirror say that Arsenal are still very much in the hunt.
Word on the street is that Rooney could be open to staying with the Red Devils, but that he would need public clarification that he did not, in fact, issue a transfer request last season, as was claimed by Sir Alex Ferguson, whose presence at the club could be a tricky obstacle to overcome as far as that is concerned.
Whatever about outgoings, the players United want to sign in the summer are well known at this stage and are revisited again in this morning’s papers. Some of them will have you believe that a deal for Thiago Alcantara worth anything between £15-18 million (in accordance with his release clause) is already done, but The Guardian think that he might stick around if given assurances about an increased involvement in the first team at the Nou Camp.
The Daily Telegraph say that the Red Devils have resumed contact with Robert Lewandowski’s representatives as a fall-back option in case their pursuit of primary target Cristiano Ronaldo fails to materialise.
Ronaldo is likely to cost crazy money if he does end up back at United and speaking of crazy money, Chelsea aren’t willing to pay it for Edinson Cavani according to Sky Sports, who say that they were unwilling to meet Napoli’s £50 million plus release clause. It could be that the Blues are playing hardball but they have been stung by £50 million strikers before, eh Fernando?
Fernando’s compatriot Isco, meanwhile, may not be joining him in England after all despite strong speculation linking him with Manchester City, with Marca claiming that manager-less Real Madrid are set to beat City to his signature.
Finally, The Telegraph say that a move for Paulinho from Corinthians to Spurs is as good as done, Paul Lambert wants to take Elliott Bennett from old club Norwich (Daily Mail), Southampton are leading the chase for Victor Wanyama (Daily Mirror) and Sunderland are leading a number of clubs in the race to sign Jozy Altidore (The Star).
