Gossip: Bale plus cash for De Gea; no-hassle Kane exit

Ian Watson

MOURINHO WANTS BALE IN ANY DE GEA DEAL
With the transfer window having just shut, not to be opened again for almost five months, vaguely-credible transfer rumours are at a premium. Of course, actual football doesn’t garner those lovely clicks so, naturally, the David de Gea to Real Madrid line gets trotted out again.

A number of UK outlets are repeating a claim which originated with Dario Gol that Man Utd might consider finally selling their keeper to Real. On one condition…

Gareth Bale is proffered in return.

Jose Mourinho is supposedly desperate to bring the Wales star back to the Premier League to further grow his impressive collection of left-sided forwards.

A Bale-plus-cash deal is supposedly the only way Mourinho will allow De Gea to leave for Madrid, despite the keeper’s apparent desperation to move to the Bernabeu.

A separate report, this one from Goal, suggests Real aren’t putting all their eggs in De Gea’s basket, though. It is claimed Thibaut Courtois, Jan Oblak and Gianluigi Donnarumma are all seen as potential alternatives. A lot of time and effort must have gone into that list…

 

KANE CAN GO AS LONG AS REAL  DON’T MAKE A FUSS
Speaking of Real Madrid, their admiration for Harry Kane is well documented, but so too was Tottenham’s desire to keep the England striker.

Seemingly, Spurs have relaxed that stance. Mundo Deportivo reports that Daniel Levy would be willing to allow Kane to move providing it is done with no fuss and Real cough up 200million euros (£176million).

Business between Real and Spurs has been messy in the past and Levy is said to be keen to avoid any repeat of the sagas involving Luka Modric and Bale.

You can judge for yourself whether Levy would be so willing to wave off Spurs prized asset ahead of the move back to White Hart Lane, even if it is for £176million…

 

SIMEONE ONLY FANCIES ONE PL JOB
Diego Simeone is apparently not interested in any Chelsea offer, or indeed any role in England. Except maybe the Manchester United job.

That is the story being reported by The Times, which reports that Simone prefers the lifestyle on offer in Spain or Italy.

Simeone has two and a half years remaining on his contract at Atletico Madrid and the Premier League doesn’t appeal that much to the Argentine.

But he might be willing to reassess that standpoint if United came calling. Simeone supposedly held talks with the Red Devils over replacing David Moyes in 2014 and the size of the Old Trafford club made an impression on the 47-year-old coach.

Chelsea, though, might as well look elsewhere.

 

AND THE REST
West Ham’s Javier Hernandez admits he did ask for a January transfer but has vowed to give everything for the club now he is staying…Leicester Don’t know when they will see Riyad Mahrez again following their refusal to let him move to Manchester City…Leicester’s players are unhappy with plans to try to reintegrate Mahrez into the squad…Arsene Wenger has finally admitted he made a £60m mistake not selling Alexis Sanchez last summer…Crystal Palace have agreed a deal to sign Getafe goalkeeper Vicente Guaita in the summer…Leicester are on red alert over Daniel Opare’s fall-out with Augsburg…Former Everton and Southampton manager Ronald Koeman will be named the new coach of the Netherlands next Friday.