Gossip: Fabregas to Manchester United and…

CESC TO MAN UNITED
We did not include Cesc Fabregas on our list of alternatives to Paul Pogba but it’s a back-page Daily Mirror exclusive that he could join Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. There is no fee mentioned and as the story is written by London-based journalist Darren Lewis, it’s more likely to have come from Chelsea than the north. Maybe they want to get rid.

They write: ‘Mourinho is waiting to find out whether the Spaniard survives Antonio Conte’s shake-up, with the incoming Stamford Bridge manager closing in on Leicester’s N’Golo Kante. Italian Conte is also refusing to give up on Roma’s Radja Nainggolan for his midfield and retains an interest in Portuguese Euro 2016-winning duo Joao Mario (Sporting Lisbon) and Andre Gomes (Valencia), who both also play that position.’

Meanwhile, Le Parisien claim that Chelsea have agreed a £29m fee for Kante; it seems that the Frenchman’s £20m release clause may only be for Champions League clubs.

 

LIVERPOOL LOSE OUT TO WOLVES?
Yes, that Wolves in the Championship. The player in question is ‘Benfica’s £21million-rated midfield starlet Anderson Talisca’ (The Sun). Obviously Jorge Mendes is the man behind this astonishing deal as he is helping Chinese billionaire Robin Li buy the Midlands club for £40m.

Apparently, ‘Talisca is already impressed by Wolves – even though they have yet to officially announce their new owner’. Talisca being managed by Kenny Jackett? Not exactly. The Sun also claim that ‘Li is ready to replace boss Kenny Jackett with Spanish ex-Porto boss Julen Lopetegui who is believed to have turned down jobs in La Liga to be part of the Wolves revival’.

 

DRAXLER TO COST £50M?
That’s the claim from German newspaper Bild, who say that’s the price Wolfsburg are asking for Julian Draxler, who is reportedly being pursued by Arsenal.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder scored six and assisted six Bundesliga goals last season but missed the end of the campaign through injury. He enjoyed a personally successful Euro 2016, being named man of the match for their last-16 win over Slovakia.

 

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City full-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov will not leave until replacements arrive…Christian Benteke is in Liverpool limbo after West Ham and Crystal Palace baulk at £32.5m asking price…Middlesbrough are looking to sign Antonio Barragan from Valencia as well as Alvaro Negredo…West Brom are the only club to enquire about Newcastle’s wantaway midfielder Moussa Sissoko…Wilfried Bony is set to leave Manchester City by joining Galatasaray in £3m loan deal.