The Premier League big dogs are all out in force in this morning’s gossip, with some familiar and some not so familiar names being bandied about all around.
Nearly two weeks have passed of what has been a pretty quiet transfer window to date, but if this morning’s papers are to be believed, the big dogs are finally getting ready to flex their financial muscles and spark it into life.
That could be down to the fact that today is a Sunday and the papers are looking to get one-up on their daily counterparts but for the sake of a bit of juicy gossip, we’ll indulge them for now at least.
Today’s gossip starts off at Chelsea, where, according to the Sunday Telegraph, the Blues are preparing to welcome back former player Nemanja Matic from Benfica and could have him in their ranks as early as this week. Matic would cost Chelsea around £20million only three years after he left the club in the first place and it has been suggested that talks are so far along at this stage that the midfielder won’t even line out for Benfica against Porto today. Worth keeping an eye on that one.
It could be a case of Matic in one door and Mata out the other, with the Sunday Mirror reporting that Pep Guardiola is keen to bring Juan Mata to Bayern Munich in the summer. As refreshing as it would be to see somebody as talented as Mata back playing regular football again, surely Bayern, with the midfield resources they have at their disposal, are the last club that need him but there’s only a little bit of smoke and no fire as far as that rumour is concerned at this stage.
One team that hardly needs to add to their resources in January is Manchester City, but that isn’t about to stop them strengthening a squad that is already the strongest in the Premier League according to this morning’s red-tops.
Manchester United fans are already fairly aggrieved at the loss of Paul Pogba to Juventus but his arrival at their crosstown rivals, as has been suggested in today’s Star on Sunday, would really be rubbing it in their faces. Pogba would cost in the region of £30 million, the same amount the Mail on Sunday say City are prepared to pay for 18-year old Southampton left back Luke Shaw, who has also been linked with United in the recent past.
Speaking of United, the on again, off again loan move for Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao appears to be, well, on again according to the Sunday Telegraph, with talks set to be at an advanced stage ahead of a move that nearly took place on the last day of the summer transfer window.
The Sunday People reckon United could move for Valencia’s Ever Banega this month, while the Mail on Sunday concern themselves with who could be on their way out of Old Trafford this month, namely Anderson to Fiorentina and Nani and Wilfried Zaha on loan moves to Sporting Lisbon and Cardiff respectively.
To Arsenal and much like the Matic to Chelsea reports, a familiar name is being linked with the Gunners in The Star on Sunday today, Julian Draxler of Schalke, who has been on Arsene Wenger’s radar for yonks at this stage. A cultured attacking midfield player, Draxler is right up Arsenal’s street but they might have to pay a Mesut Ozil type fee for his compatriot, who has a £40 million buyout clause.
Finally, West Ham are on the verge of a deal for Man City defender Joleon Lescott (Sunday Telegraph), Papiss Cisse could be about to quit Newcastle for Qatar (The Sun) and in what would be a very surprising move, internet gossip is linking Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez with a move to the New York Red Bulls in the MLS. Much like a Xavi through ball, we didn’t see that one coming, but unlike a Xavi through ball, we don't expect it to materialise.
