Gossip: Messi, Sturridge, Alaba, Lampard, Smalling

Daniel Storey

MORE MESSI TO MAN CITY CHAT
Ah, our old friend. How lovely it is to see you again. Every month or so, the latest claims land about Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona to join Manchester City.

The Mirror’s Simon Mullock claims that Manchester City will launch a £200m move for Messi next summer. He’s done that thing of adding the wages and fee together.

The report claims that City will offer Barcelona a transfer fee in excess of £100m, and then offer Messi a salary worth more than £500,000 a week.

Apparently, City’s confidence has ‘exploded’ because Messi has not signed his new Barcelona contract. Mullock also mentions that Chelsea and Manchester United will be in for Messi.

It’s worth repeating these words from Messi made in January 2016:

“I have said it a thousand and one times, it is the same response as always.

“My idea is to finish at home, and my home is Barcelona. I hope it can be like this.”

 

MAN UNITED TO TARGET ALABA AND BAUMGARTLINGER
Our next story comes via Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People, who claims that Manchester United are looking to sign David Alaba and  Julian Baumgartlinger.

That comes after Manchester United sent scouts to both of Austria’s games during the international break, against Ireland and Slovakia.

The story is worryingly short on detail, such as why 29-year-old Baumgartlinger would be a likely target for Jose Mourinho.

We’re slightly suspicious that this is just a story about United having scouts at the games, which we already knew from stories at the time.

 

WEST HAM LEADING RACE FOR STURRIDGE
We end with another exclusive, and this time it comes from Neil Fissler in the Daily Express. The Express have recently lost Paul Joyce to the Times, so approach their Liverpool exclusives with care from now on.

Anyway, we go again. Fissler writes that West Ham are leading the race to sign Daniel Sturridge, and that a £25m bid would do the trick.

There’s no doubt that West Ham would jump at the chance to sign Sturridge, given their striking woes. Reckon he might be an upgrade on Simone Zaza?

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City want Brazil international left-back Alex Sandro, 25, whose current contract at Juventus ends in June 2020… Mourinho is set to offer Chris Smalling, 26, a new Manchester United deal… Former England midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are wanted by the Football Association for roles in the new-look England set-up… Newcastle United will offer Frank Lampard a one-year playing deal if they win promotion… Everton manager Ronald Koeman wants Hoffenheim defender Niklas Sule and midfielder Sebastian Rudy.