Gossip: Alli to Barcelona, Lallana to Spurs, Defoe

Daniel Storey

ADD BARCELONA TO THE LIST OF ALLI ADMIRERS
The talk of Spanish interest in Dele Alli just won’t go away, despite our suspicions that nothing will come of it. So far it’s all come from the Mirror, and that’s also where this latest update sources from.

Steve Stammers writes that Barcelona have put Alli at the top of their wanted list, and will battle rivals Real Madrid for the signing of Alli.

Stammers also casually mentions that any suitor of Alli would have to offer a transfer fee of £70m, which might be plenty enough to make them put away their cheque books straight away. Will either club really pay the fifth highest transfer fee in history for him?

We can’t quite get our head around Stammers knowing the order of Barcelona’s transfer targets, but maybe that’s just being a bit pissy. Let’s just say we’re still waiting on Chelsea signing James Rodriguez for £75m and Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez signing new Arsenal deals, two of Stammers’ recent claims. The second one came in September, saying Ozil and Sanchez were ‘poised’ to sign. Too much poise, if anything.

 

ANOTHER LINDELOF UPDATE
And you can go right here to read about that one…

 

BIG SAM ALSO WANTS TO SIGN DEFOE
Jermain Defoe is a wanted man. Sunderland need him to stay and keep them up, West Ham want to pay silly money to ensure they don’t get dragged into a relegation battle and now Crystal Palace apparently want him too.

According to The Sun, Sam Allardyce is after a reunion with Defoe in a bid to ease Palace’s growing problems that haven’t exactly ceased after Allardyce’s arrival.

‘Allardyce has Loic Remy returning from injury to support Christian Benteke and Connor Wickham but would add firepower if the right striker came available,’ The Sun’s story says. Is Defoe a) the right striker, b) available or c) value for money?

 

LALLANA NEW DEAL (TO THWART TOTTENHAM)
Contract news now, with Neil Fissler claiming an exclusive on Adam Lallana signing a new contract at Liverpool.

In fairness, it makes complete sense. Lallana is only on a £60,000-a-week deal at Anfield, half the wages of Daniel Sturridge and James Milner, and deserves parity after a wonderful start to this season.

What also makes sense is the way that the Express sell the story, as transfer news with Tottenham circling for Lallana. It’s a rumour we’ve heard before, and just can’t get on board with. Unless Lallana is desperate to move south, why would he leave Liverpool?

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City will make a renewed bid to land Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte in the summer despite his £55m buyout clause… Aston Villa are set to sign Nottingham Forest’s wantaway skipper Henri Lansbury for £3.5m… West Ham are to make a new bid for Robert Snodgrass – and striker Ashley Fletcher could be used as a makeweight to persuade Hull City to sell… Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Chievo keeper Alessandro Confente… Chelsea are considering recalling on-loan defender Nathan Ake from Bournemouth… Slaven Billic faces two crunch games which may decide his fate as West Ham manager… Mauricio Pochettino is on the Barcelona shortlist of possible successors for Luis Enrique… West Brom have made a move for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini… Liverpool will press ahead with the signing of Spartak Moscow forward Quincy Promes this month.