Gossip: Liverpool’s ‘massive’ Klopp blow, Cesc off

Matt Stead

KLOPP OFF
Liverpool fans might be rather satisfied with their start to the season, but the Daily Star on Sunday has some bad news: Bayern Munich want Jurgen Klopp.

It is an exclusive which is sure to devastate Reds fans. Or, in the words of Harry Pratt, it ‘will come as a massive blow to Anfield chiefs’. Bayern basically see him as the ‘ideal successor’ to Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian has a contract as manager at the Allianz Arena until 2019, and Klopp recently signed a six-year deal at Liverpool. There is unlikely to be a great deal of panic on Merseyside.

But Bayern have a shortlist of managers for when Ancelotti leaves, and it is headed by Klopp. Considering the Star themselves add that the German is ‘loving life in Liverpool and, having assumed the reins less than 12 months ago, is in no rush to return home to the Bundesliga,’ you will forgive us for wondering what all the fuss is about.

 

CESCY THING
West Ham pursued a marquee signing all summer; they surely did not intend for their club-record transfer to be Andre Ayew. According to the Sunday Mirror, they could land the star player they wanted for their debut campaign at the London Stadium.

‘West Ham plot transfer of Chelsea’s Chelsea Fabregas if he cannot nail down a starting place,’ reads the headline, and it is that simple. Fabregas has found it difficult to break into Antonio Conte’s first team this season, starting the first five Premier League games on the bench. He started against Arsenal, but was anonymous. You can 16 Conclusions from that game. Go on. Do it. We’ll be here, waiting.

A midfield of Cesc Fabregas and Mark Noble is the stuff of dreams.

 

AND THE REST
Stoke City are considering appointing Steve Bruce as manager if their fortunes under Mark Hughes do not improve…Bruce is ready to step in at Aston Villa if Roberto Di Matteo fails to get his expensive side going – despite once managing arch-rivals Birmingham…Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has targeted Atlanta’s Franck Kessie…Arsenal are one of several clubs tracking Ivorian striker Kessie, 19…Tottenham are poised to offer England striker Harry Kane, 23, a new contract worth £120,000 a week…Spurs are preparing a move for Fiorentina and Croatia midfielder Milan Badelj, 27, in January…Leicester will ask for Manchester United’s Morgan Schneiderlin as part of any move by Jose Mourinho for £20m-rated Danny Drinkwater.