Monday transfer Gossip
20th November 2017
Manchester City will compete with Liverpool for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, 26, in the January transfer window.(Daily Mirror)
City are also looking bring in 22-year-old Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka, who is out of contract at the end of the season and has also caught the attention of Arsenal,Liverpool and Chelsea.(Daily Mirror)
Tottenham’s England striker Harry Kane, 24, says he plans to spend his entire career at Spurs.(London Evening Standard)
Daniel Sturridge, 28, is ready to leave Liverpool in order to find first-team football and recapture his place in the England squad.(Daily Mirror)
Barcelona are considering a January move for arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 29, and could offer Andre Gomes in part exchange.(Don Balon via Daily Star)
Paris St-Germain captain Thiago Silva admits he is in regular contact with Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 25, and hopes his fellow Brazilian will “work with us”.(Telefoot via Sky Sports)
Manchester City could move for Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez, 26, after Lionel Messi objected to the Algeria international joining Barcelona.(Don Balon via Daily Star)
Liverpool and Tottenham are watching Sheffield United’s 20-year-old Wales midfielder David Brooks.(Daily Express)
Bournemouth are preparing a January bid for Reading’s 19-year-old full-back Omar Richards.(Sun)
Meanwhile…
Arsenal will pay Borussia Dortmund about £1.8m to capture 45-year-old scout Sven Mislintat – dubbed ‘Diamond Eye’ – as their head of recruitment.(Sport Bild viaSun)
Real Madrid are likely to turn to Germany coach Joachim Low, 57, if they dismiss manager Zinedine Zidane.(Daily Express)
Watford manager Marco Silva, who continues to be linked with Everton,admits “everything can happen in football”.(Liverpool Echo)
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that he rarely starts Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford in the same team because they are too similar.(Independent)
Leicester’s Andy King pays tribute to former Wales manager Chris Coleman – complete with green dragon emoji – following his appointment as Sunderland boss. Coleman and King reached the semi-finals with Wales at Euro 16 Under-pressure West Bromboss Tony Pulis says he spoke with chairman John Williams after the 4-0 defeat against Chelsea, but told reporters: “You’ve got no business to know what me and chairman talked about.”(Birmingham Mail)
Manchester city’s Benjamin Mendy, who suffered ligament damage against Crystal Palace in September and had surgery six weeks ago, posts a video of himself kicking a ball. After Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s comment that “Lion’s don’t recover like humans”, French defender Mendy quipped:”Sharks don’t recover like humans.”(Manchester Evening News)
Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez is likely to have limited funds in the January transfer window under the current Mike Ashley regime.(Newcastle Chronicle)
Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri is worth “a hell of a lot more” than the £12m Stoke paid for him just over two years ago, manager Mark Hughes says.(Stoke Sentinel)
Brighton manager Chris Hughton says German midfielder Pascal Gross, one of the most energetic players in the Premier League according to statistics, can cope with the hectic schedule, with the Seagulls facing 11 matches in 43 days.(Argus)
Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland pays tribute to Watford’s Heurelho Gomes after his superb double save in the 2-0 win over West Ham.
Best of Sunday’s gossip
Manchester United are lining up a £136m double move for Real Madrid’s Wales forward Gareth Bale, 28, and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.(Sun on Sunday)
But Real Madrid may pursue 26-year-old France forward Griezmann if Bale is sold.(Don Balon – in Spanish)
And Bale’s former club Tottenham could use a clause in the Welshman’s contract that gives them the chance to match any offers Real receive from the Premier League.(Sunday Express)
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone hinted after his side’s goalless draw with Real Madrid that Griezmann could leave.(Mail on Sunday)
Crystal Palace and Netherlands left-back Patrick van Aanholt, 27, is a surprise target for Manchester City as manager Pep Guardiola seeks cover for the injured France international Benjamin Mendy, 23, in January.(Sun on Sunday)
