Gossip: Liverpool target could cost £88m, Griezmann news

Matt Stead

MOVING ON UP
Liverpool wanting to sign Dayot Upamecano might be news to most of us, but not to the BBC. They were miles ahead of everyone on this one.

The line comes from Bild, who are credited by numerous outlets from the Daily Mirror to the Metro with claiming that Liverpool are interested in the RB Leipzig centre-half.

The only issue is that none of the references to Bild come with a link, which makes us all sorts of suspicious. A quick check on Bild’s website shows no such story on Liverpool’s interest.

There is one article on Bild with regards to Upamecano, mind you. And it goes thus:

‘The French interior defender is to have an exit clause of over 100 million euros in his contract running until 2021 next summer.

‘If RB misses the international business, however, it should be reduced. This is reported by the “Spiegel” with reference to the “Football Leaks” disclosure database.

‘Upamecano costs 100 million euros!’

It should also be said that that story is five days old. So not news. More like ‘olds’. Am I right? No, I’m not. But it is old.

Liverpool might want him; we cannot be sure of that. But if they do, he might well cost €100m, or £88.1m. Sure.

 

ANT MAN
Staying with British outlets reporting lines first seen on foreign websites, because we clearly don’t have good enough sources over here, El Confidencial have news on Manchester United’s long-standing interest in Antoine Griezmann.

Griezmann seemed destined to join United this summer before Atletico Madrid’s transfer ban, and he has since signed a new contract in the Spanish capital.

According to the Daily Mirror, Costa’s transfer to Atletico is a ‘blow’ to United, ‘with the striker set to stay put at Atletico Madrid to partner Diego Costa’. They attribute that claim to El Confidencial.

And so to El Confidencial we go, where the only reference of Griezmann is:

‘Thus, it is expected that from 2018 will be presented as the pair of Griezmann , leaving in the background the Correa (author Wednesday of the first goal against Athletic), Fernando Torres and Vietto , with Vitolo also hunting for a site in the once.’

Christ, it’s a slow day.

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City fear Paris St-Germain are now favourites to sign Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, who is out of contract next summer and is reported to want £400,000 a week in wages… Juventus chief Beppe Marotta says the Italian club will be powerless to prevent forward Paulo Dybala leaving for Barcelona if the 23-year-old wants the move… Arsenal have made an approach to sign 19-year-old Marseille defender Christopher Rocchia… However, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger says the club are no longer interested in signing West Brom’s 29-year-old centre-back Jonny Evans, who was linked with them this summer… Aston Villa are one of five Championship clubs reported to be keeping tabs on Rangers’ Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos, 21, following a goal-laden beginning in Scotland that has seen him score eight times in 10 games.