Gossip: Barkley, Mbappe, Verratti, Elneny, Martial

Daniel Storey

MANCHESTER UNITED ‘MONITORING BARKLEY SITUATION’
We do enjoy the phrase ‘monitoring’ here at Football365. Quite how one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League could avoid monitoring the situation of a player on the fringes of the England team is unclear. Mute the word ‘Barkley’ on Twitter, perhaps?

Anyway, the Daily Mirror say that Manchester United are monitoring Ross Barkley’s situation at Everton. The insinuation from David Maddock is that Jose Mourinho has no interest in paying top whack for Barkley, but could be interested if the price drops. Maddock mentions a fee of less than £20m.

In truth, it’s not an obvious fit. You can see why Mourinho wants a wide player with good crossing ability to service Romelu Lukaku, but another attacking central midfielder? Surely Barkley would just be back-up, which is the last thing he needs?

 

BARCELONA TO SIGN MBAPPE AND VERRATTI
There may be no massive transfer sagas in English football now, save Alexis Sanchez’s potential departure from Arsenal, but there is something big brewing in Europe. No, not just laughter at Brexit.

First, reports in Brazil claimed that Neymar was a the subject of a £196m bid from Paris St Germain. They would reportedly pay the Brazilian £596,000 a week.

The interesting update comes from the Daily Mail, who say that selling Neymar would allow Barcelona to sign Kylian Mbappe and Marco Verratti for the same money. That would be a good deal, wouldn’t it?

Alternatively, this is all bluster and Neymar stays exactly where he is. We won’t be surprised.

 

ELNENY TURNS DOWN LEICESTER MOVE
Interesting line coming out of Arsenal, although it must be said that this is a ‘Toby Gannon exclusive’ in The Sun – three words that do make us worry.

The Sun’s claim is that Arsenal accepted a £10m bid from Leicester City for Mohamed Elneny, but the Egyptian midfielder has rejected the move because he loves life in London. Harsh on the Richard III exhibition and the National Space Centre, to be honest.

Elneny only joined Arsenal last January, and will undoubtedly struggle for regular league minutes next season. Even if Jack Wilshere leaves, Elneny still has Francis Coquelin, Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey to get past, plus Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain if he doesn’t leave.

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City will insist on a buy-back clause in any deal to sell Kelechi Iheanacho to Leicester…Newcastle and Middlesbrough both want West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph…Birmingham have rejected a £5m offer from Fulham for striker Che Adams…Bayern Munich are ready to sell Renato Sanches…Fabian Delph is on the verge of leaving Manchester City for Stoke in a £10m deal…Inter Milan have told Manchester United to include Anthony Martial in any deal for Ivan Perisic.