Gossip: Costa, Sanchez, Walker, Azpilicueta
MAN CITY ‘STARS’ BELIEVE SANCHEZ AND WALKER IS DONE
Can’t quite get our heads around John Cross’ exclusive in the Daily Mirror. Cross writes that Manchester City ‘stars’ are convinced that their club will be signing Kyle Walker and Alexis Sanchez this summer.
We can understand that their star players might think it is going to happen. Players talk after all, and there may be something on the grapevine about Walker and Sanchez wanting those moves. Cross’ piece is an exclusive, so he has presumably heard from one or more of those players.
The problem is that Cross also mentions a combined transfer fee. How would the players know the likely fees, unless City’s hierarchy have been filling their players in on transfer targets and bids, which seems unlikely?
Watch this space, anyway. Although if it doesn’t happen this is a classic case of ‘Well, someone told me guv’.
…OR SANCHEZ’S PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO BAYERN
Elsewhere, the Mirror also passes on a story in El Mercurio in Chile, which claims that Sanchez’s representatives have actually met with Bayern Munich bigwigs to discuss a move from Arsenal. Poor Arsenal have been kept out of the loop, presumably.
The paper says that Bayern are prepared to pay £50m for Sanchez and pay him £11m a year. They can also promise him Champions League football, of course.
AZPILICUETA FLATTERED, BUT STAYING
Last week, rumours surfaced that Barcelona wanted to sign Cesar Azpilicueta, and why the hell wouldn’t they. He’s Spanish, he’s been one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League over the last three years and at 27 still has plenty of years left in the tank.
However, this Chelsea boy is not for turning.
“It’s flattering that a club like Barcelona can be interested in you,” Azpilicueta told Marca. “Last year, after a bad season on a collective level, we did not have those types of rumours.
“However, this season we have been crowned Champions and this type of story indicates that we have done well. Interest from teams of this level is very positive but I am very happy here. I feel very valued by the club and I do not think of anything else.”
Have that, Barca.
COSTA NOT OFF TO CHINA
All season we have been told that Diego Costa could move to China, with the striker reportedly coming close to a move in January. Just as the summer arrives, that move now looks unlikelier than ever.
The reason for that is that Costa has long been linked with Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjin, but they now say they are looking to avoid overpriced signings. That probably includes the £75m Diego Costa.
“For the past six months, our club have not involved in any form of communication and negotiation with Diego Costa nor his representatives,” their statement read.
“Our club will draw up a rational transfer plan as an aim to improve the spectator experience of the Chinese Super League and meet its sustainability demands. We won’t take part in any unhealthy competition, thus preventing all overpriced signings.”
That’s that, then.
AND THE REST
West Ham are bracing themselves for a summer fight with Marseille for Andre Ayew… Eddie Howe risks a backlash and a raft of new wage demands from Bournemouth stars over Jermain Defoe’s £19.5m contract… Kevin Phillips is desperate to kick off his managerial career at Sunderland… Marcus Rashford is set to see a £10,000-a-week pay rise on his Manchester United contract this summer… West Ham United have made a £120,000 bid for Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett… David Moyes is interested in the Scotland job if Gordon Strachan leaves after the World Cup qualifier against England.