Gossip: Vardy; Zlatan or Morata; Gotze alternative

Matt Stead

ZLATAN OR ALVARO
Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Alvaro Morata. One or the other, not both. Who would you choose?

The former is almost certain to move to Old Trafford after Sweden’s Euro 2016 escapades end. The problem is that the latter will refuse to join him, according to Gazzetta World. ‘He doesn’t want to commit to a transfer if he’s going to be on the bench,’ it says, which seems fair.

Spanish radio station Onda Cero reports that Morata would favour a move to Manchester United over his other Premier League suitors – Arsenal and Chelsea – but the 23-year-old’s ultimatum would scupper a move. United will have to choose one or the other.

A 34-year-old free transfer with 454 career goals in 790 appearances? Or a 23-year-old for around £40m with 86 career goals in 237 appearances. You cannot have both, you greedy buggers.

 

MORE VARDY
In what will surely be described as an ‘update’ from an ‘Arsenal insider’, former Gunners midfielder Ray Parlour brings us the latest news on Jamie Vardy.

According to the Romford Pele, the move for the 29-year-old is off. Vardy has elected not to relocate his party to the Emirates Stadium, and will remain at Leicester.

“It looks like it isn’t happening now,” Parlour told talkSPORT. “I was at the Arsenal the other day and there were big reports flying around, and the club’s cameramen and digital staff had to get down to the training ground.

“So it looked like it was going to happen – there was a medical being done.

“But it seems Vardy thought about it while on England duty, and suddenly there was a U-turn.”

So wait, did Vardy turn up for a medical, meaning Arsenal’s cameramen and digital staff had to attend the training ground, before deciding otherwise? Or did he ‘think about it while on England duty’ and reject the move altogether? Parlour seems confused. So are we.

 

GOTZE ALTERNATIVE?
With Mario Gotze seemingly intent on remaining at Bayern Munich, and a number of important figures at the club weirdly intent on trying to persuade him otherwise, Liverpool may divert their attentions away from attempts to sign the German. Some lovely folks in France inform us of where they may look next.

It is Sofiane Boufal who has reportedly piqued Jurgen Klopp’s interest. The 22-year-old scored 11 goals and assisted four in 29 Ligue Un games for Lille this past season. By way of comparison, Gotze scored three and assisted four in 14 Bundesliga games for Bayern.

The link to Boufal comes from Footmercato. They write:

‘Author of a great season, Sofiane Boufal, Lille playmaker, will be sought after on the transfer market. Reportedly, the Mastiff was observed by Liverpool a dozen times and, tired of dithering Mario Gotze could provide over € 20 million for the recruit.

‘However, the Reds are not the only ones on the lookout to recover Moroccan international. According to our information, Inter and Borussia Dortmund, if Mkhitaryan was supplied from, closely studying the issue.’

And that is literally the total sum of their story.

 

AND THE REST
Paris St-Germain are considering activating 24-year-old Barcelona and Brazil forward Neymar’s £153m release clause…Manchester City want to tie up a deal for 22-year-old Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte in the next few days…Belgium and Marseille forward Michy Batshuayi, 22, wants a £100,000-per-week contract to join Tottenham Hotspur…Juventus are favourites to beat Everton to the signing of Southampton and Italy forward Graziano Pelle, 30…West Brom have denied receiving any formal offers for 22-year-old striker Saido Berahino, despite interest from Watford…Everton remain interested in signing Netherlands and Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, 27, who had attracted the interest of former manager Roberto Martinez last season…A release clause in Arsenal target Ricardo Rodriguez’s contract is now active, according to the 23-year-old Wolfsburg defender’s agent…Crystal Palace will have to double their £5m offer for defender Lewis Dunk if they want to sign the 24-year-old from Brighton…Sunderland will accept a fee of around £2m for midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini with a number of Serie A clubs hoping to sign the 31-year-old Italy international.