Gossip: Zlatan, Aubameyang, Shaw replacement

Matt Stead

IBRAHIMOVIC FAVOURS ARSENAL MOVE
Arsene Wenger nearly signed a lot of people. At this stage in the Arsenal manager’s career, it’s almost certainly a running joke to claim that he had scouted a certain player when they were just an embryo, but another club selfishly barged in with more money.

One of the 427 million people Arsene Wenger nearly signed was Zlatan Ibrahimovic. According to the Sunday People, Wenger will get another chance to sign the Swede next summer. The striker’s contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires in 2016 and, at 34, he is looking for one final footballing swansong at club level. Neil Moxley reckons Ibrahimovic and Arsenal have had ‘contact’, that Ibrahimovic favours a move to Arsenal, and that Wenger is interested in the deal. He’d make a decent defensive midfielder.

Forget the following comments from Ibrahimovic himself earlier this week: “I think it is too late to come to England. I am very happy in PSG, I have my last six months and let us see what happens afterwards.”

We think we’ll go with Zlatan over Moxley here.

 

UNITED SCOUT SHAW REPLACEMENT
With understanbable uncertainty surrounding Luke Shaw’s return date since breaking his leg in September, attention has slowly turned to a potential replacement. Marcos Rojo has looked a little better recently but is still rather dodgy, while Ashley Young and Daley Blind are not left-backs; Ricardo Rodriguez very much is.

The Sunday Mirror claim that Rodriguez, he of Wolfsburg and Switzerland fame, has been scouted by United recently with a view to a January move. Rodriguez is very much, but would that in itself not point to this being a bit of a weird deal? Shaw will eventually return, and although he will need time to get back to his best – if he ever does – would the existence of a currently superior left-back help his progress? It seems a doubtful move.

 

MOURINHO WANTS AUBAMEYANG
Over to the former ‘Boss of Goss’ now, with The Sun’s Alan Nixon reporting that Chelsea want Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

‘Stamford Bridge spies are raving about the Gabon hitman,’ writes Nixon, as he struggles with the concept of those people called ‘scouts’. Jose Mourinho is considering a £20million bid apparently. The German side signed Aubameyang for around £10million in the summer of 2013, with the 26-year-old scoring 64 goals in 115 appearances – including 23 in 21 this season – since. Such form is worth more than simply doubling his valuation, surely?

Nixon also likens Aubameyang to Didier Drogba, presumably because they are a) both African, b) both strikers, and c) Drogba played for Chelsea and Aubameyang has been linked to the them. They really aren’t that similar aside from that.

 

QATAR NEXT FOR BRENDAN?
Fulham, QPR, Swansea, Newcastle, Chelsea; the exhaustible list of potential next management jobs for Brendan Rodgers really is a bizarre one. Add a Qatari club to the mix and it gets no better.

In a Daily Express exclusive from their man John Richardson, Qatari club executives are hoping to lure the former Liverpool boss to their shores with a number of lucrative offers. Richardson offers no clues as to the identity of any of the sides (although Al Sadd, Xavi’s club, are mentioned in the URL but nowhere else thereafter), but claims that Rodgers has met with one who have offered him a deal which ‘could see him bank £10million’. No weekly wage or number of years on a potential contract are revealed, but £10million is a nice, big, round number so there we go.

There is also no mention of the fact that Rodgers, whose reputation has taken quite a beating after his Liverpool downfall, but who is clearly still a talented manager, would be committing career suicide by taking a post in the Far East. No chance.

 

AND THE REST
Manchester United and Arsenal could both make bids to sign Juventus defender Daniele Rugani…United also want Ashley Cole and Saido Berahino…Tottenham will move for Corinthians forward Alexandre Pato if they lose out to Chelsea in the race to sign West Brom striker Berahino…Newcastle have joined Arsenal and Tottenham in tracking Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi, but the French club want £35million…Louis van Gaal will not seek to bring Adnan Januzaj back to Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund when the January transfer window opens despite his injury crisis and lack of attacking options…Ron Vlaar has received three offers from Premier League clubs, including Sunderland and Norwich, but Everton are not the third club…Bournemouth are ready to offer Yoan Gouffran the chance to stay in the top-flight in the New Year.