Gossip: Neymar b*llocks, Hazard, Varane, Morata

Daniel Storey

MORE NEYMAR B*LLOCKS
Manchester United have launched an ‘all-out offensive’ to sign Neymar, according to report in the Daily Star. Oh for fuc…

The tabloid’s headline is based on a report by Mundo Deportivo, who claim Jose Mourinho wants the striker to move to Old Trafford at all costs. It has been two weeks since ‘Neymar to United’ last appeared in the papers, with his agent Wagner Ribeiro claiming three clubs, including United, were ready to meet Neymar’s £157m buyout clause.

Look, can you get this into your heads: Neymar is not going to Manchester United. If you stop believing it, they might stop publishing it.

 

REAL MADRID TO BID BIG FOR HAZARD
Oh hey they big rumour. So nice to see you. Most of the papers are finally moving on from England’s dismal Euro 2016 exit, and it’s the Daily Mirror who go hard on Thursday morning. Not literally, you understand. We’re not being base.

Darren Lewis has the exclusive, reporting that Chelsea are ‘bracing themselves’ for a bid from Real Madrid for Eden Hazard. That bid would be in the form of a £35m bid plus Alvaro Morata, who the Mirror perfectly reasonably equate to be worth £40m.

Lewis also believes that Chelsea might go for the deal. There is clearly a desire to keep Hazard at the club, but the opportunity to sign Morata might swing opinion at the club. Guess the question is whether the arrival of Michy Batshuayi changes anything.

 

VARANE TO MANCHESTER UNITED
In our top ten of Premier League needs, we picked out Manchester United as requiring a ‘wow’ central defender, and listed Raphael Varane as the most obvious option. Well, we have news.

In The Sun, Duncan Wright claims that Real Madrid are prepared to listen to offers for the France centre-back, meaning that Manchester United will make their move.

Wright claims that Real Madrid would rather sell Varane now than have an unhappy player on their books. With the defender behind both Sergio Ramos and Pepe in the central defensive queue, the 23-year-old could leave for pastures new.

 

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City will complete the £13.8m capture of Spain forward Nolito within the next 24 hours… New Watford boss Walter Mazzari has made a £12m move for Torino wideman Bruno Peres… Real Madrid have warned Premier League sides they will have to dig deep in their pockets after slapping a £125m price tag on Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez… Barcelona recently tried and failed to land Juventus star Paulo Dybala in an 80m euro move… Hull face a £3m fight with Turkish champions Besiktas to land Aminu Umar… Chelsea goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon fears he is being pushed out of Stamford Bridge amid ongoing tensions with Thibaut Courtois.

Chelsea are prepared to battle Real Madrid and Arsenal for Leicester star N’Golo Kante, according to reports… Real Madrid want to sign Leicester’s France midfielder N’Golo Kante, 25… Former Brazil and Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, 67, also wants to be considered for the England job he turned down a decade ago… Tottenham and Leicester are among several Premier League clubs interested in signing Iceland defender Ragnar Sigurdsson, 30, from Russian club FC Krasnodar… Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out a move for France and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, 25… Manchester City could swap striker Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony, 27, for Everton’s England defender John Stones, 22, if the Merseyside club sell 23-year-old Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.

Serbian defender Neven Subotic, 27, who is being monitored by Sunderland, Liverpool and Stoke, could stay in the Bundesliga despite leaving Borussia Dortmund this summer… West Brom have contacted Atletico Madrid about the availability of Spanish striker Borja Baston, 23, who is rated at around £18m… Norwich have made an approach to sign Scotland striker Steven Fletcher, 29, when his Sunderland contract expires next week… Japan international Takuma Asano, 21, says he has been approached by Arsenal over a move to the Emirates.