Gossip: Hart, Courtois, Moyes, Benitez, Ramsey
CHELSEA WANT HART TO REPLACE COURTOIS
Haven’t Chelsea had enough bad news? If the club’s hierarchy want to dismiss the idea that Antonio Conte hasn’t been backed enough in the transfer market, selling Thibaut Courtois and replacing him with Joe Hart really isn’t the way to go about it.
Still, that’s the line the Sun have on Tuesday morning. Mike McGrath writes that Courtois has just over a year left on his contract, and may either run down his deal over the final year or be sold to Real Madrid this summer.
McGrath then says that Hart is interesting Chelsea as Courtois’ replacement. As a No. 2 we could understand, but there is surely no way he becomes their new No. 1.
MOYES LEAVING WHAM IN JUNE. BENITEZ IN?
David Moyes has had an interesting time at West Ham. He started by losing three and drawing one of his first four matches, before winning three and drawing two of his next six. Just as it looked like West Ham might have pulled themselves clear of trouble, they have taken six points from five matches and are still only three points above Huddersfield in 19th.
Anyway, the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law had an exclusive late on Monday that Moyes is likely to leave West Ham in the summer whether they stay up or not. That’s because the club are looking for a more permanent option.
Law also does the decent thing by giving us a list of names West Ham are considering approaching to be Moyes’ replacement. Rafael Benitez is the first, having already come close to taking over before getting offered the Real Madrid job. David Wagner and Marco Silva are also mentioned.
RAMSEY THE NEXT TO GET ARSENAL DEAL
Now we aren’t saying this is what has happened, but it’s a good week for Aaron Ramsey’s agent to leak a little story to the media about a new contract. What better time to begin negotiations then immediately after scoring your first career hat-trick?
In the Daily Mirror, John Cross writes that Arsenal expect Ramsey to want a significant pay rise to stay at the club. That’s after they gave Mesut Ozil a whacking great £350,000 a week.
Ramsey is 27, finally back in a sustained run of form and has 18 months left on his deal. He’s not a player Arsenal want to lose, and the money is there to reward him. How much would it take to replace him, anyway.
AND THE REST
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha will see a knee specialist… Manchester United have given a trial to Colombian teenager Wilson Tilve… Ronald Koeman will be unveiled as the new Netherlands manager.
