Gossip: Fellaini, Matip, Adebayor, Gomes…

Daniel Storey

MILAN HAVE £11M FOR A BELGIAN
We don’t think they specifically need to spend it on a Belgian but reports in Italy suggest that that’s exactly what they will do with the money brought in from the sale of Adriano. Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Axel Witsel is one option and the other is Marouane Fellaini. Presumably they have not watched him this season – or not noticed that Manchester United are unbeaten in the Premier League games Fellaini has NOT started.

 

LIVERPOOL AGREE DEAL FOR DEFENDER…
…and it isn’t Steven Caulker. Rejoice.

According to the Daily Mirror, Joel Matip has agreed to join the Reds in the summer. The central defender’s contract with Schalke runs out in the summer, and Liverpool have agreed a deal ‘in principle’ to sign him.

The 24-year-old has played all 17 of Schalke’s Bundesliga games so far this season, with his side sixth in the table. He’s tall, he’s young, he has league and Champions League experience. Lovely.

 

IVANOVIC TO CITY
Most newspapers remark that Branislav Ivanovic will be offered – and sign – a new Chelsea contract, but the Daily Mail run down a very different route.

They claim that Manchester City have asked to be ‘kept informed of developments’. We assume that’s a passing interest rather than any desire to sign him. They already did the whole ‘signing an ageing right-back from a rival’ thing with Bacary Sagna.

In fairness, it is a throwaway line from the Mail. If Ivanovic is to leave Chelsea, it will surely be for a foreign club, given that he can discuss a move with them this month. Milan, Internazionale and Zenit St Petersburg are all mentioned.

 

ANDRE GOMES TO UNITED
There have been rumours over the last few days of Manchester United interest in Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, but it looks like they will come to the square root of f*ck all.

The Daily Star aren’t bothered, however, because they claim that while United are in Spain they will try to sign Valencia’s Andre Gomes. They make buying football players sound like taking your car to France to fill it with cheap booze.

Gomes is reportedly wanted by Napoli and Juventus, but an Italian journalist that we forget the name of says United are also interested.

Before you assume that this is all nonsense, what about this sentence: ‘The player’s agent Jorge Mendes is pushing for the player to join United.’

Suddenly it all makes sense.

 

HIDDINK WANTS ALL THE STRIKERS. ADEBAYOR?
Every day the papers are full of claims about which striker Chelsea will sign. Already this week we have had Carlos Bacca and Alex Teixeira, but Wednesday brings a whole new raft of alternatives.

The Daily Express reckon that Saido Berahino is Chelsea’s man, with the club prepared to offer £22m to seal a deal. We’d be very surprised.

The Times go even further, saying that Chelsea are considering moves for Jamie Vardy and…wait for it…Emmanuel Adebayor.

Because he’s not hated enough at Arsenal, presumably.

 

AND THE REST
Simon Mignolet has agreed in principle a new contract that will tie the 27-year-old to the club until 2021…Manchester City have asked about Fulham forward Moussa Dembele…West Ham striker Nikica Jelavic is wanted by Guangzhou Evergrande, while the Hammers want Leeds United right-back Sam Byram…Shanghai Shenhua want Sunderland’s Steven Fletcher and are in talks over an £8million deal for Newcastle’s Cheick Tiote…Norwich City and QPR want £8million-rated Dwight Gayle from Crystal Palace…Sampdoria are chasing Leicester City defender Yohan Benalouane.