Gossip: City sure on Sanchez, no Fabinho for Man United

Sarah Winterburn

CITY PRETTY SURE ON SANCHEZ
Well, well. According to The Guardian, Manchester City are ‘increasingly confident of signing Alexis Sánchez’ because they believe the Chilean will put pressure on Arsenal to sell for a reported £50m. The Gunners are understandably reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival but they may have little choice if the alternative is an unhappy player staying for a season and then leaving for nothing. Bayern Munich are not interested at that price.

The 28-year-old Chilean has been offered around £250,000 a week by Arsenal but could earn closer to £300,000 at City. Combine that with the chance to work with Pep Guardiola again, and challenge for trophies, and he is more than convinced.

And Arsenal may well need the money from City, as they have had bids turned down by Lyon and Monaco for Alexandre Lacazette and Thomas Lemar.

 

FABINHO TO JOIN PSG
When Duncan Castles writes about Jose Mourinho and Manchester United, we listen (and sometimes laugh). He claims that Fabinho ‘was not the Portuguese’s preferred option to reinforce at midfield or at full back’ so he will join PSG instead as a replacement for the Barcelona-bound Marco Verratti. So they never wanted him anyway.

Nemanja Matic is still likely to join Manchester United, but Castles writes in the Daily Record that Antonio Conte wants two new midfield options before he will sell the Serb for around £40m.

 

CHELSEA CHASING MANOLAS
Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci are proving to be difficult and expensive purchases for Chelsea, so the Daily Mirror claim that they will turn instead to the easier and cheaper Kostas Manolas, whose £26m move from Roma to Zenit St Petersburg has stalled. Or rather that they ‘may’ because they have liked him before.

Leaving Chelsea will be Nathan Ake (joining Bournemouth for an astonishing £20m) and Kurt Zouma (on loan to Crystal Palace).

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail claim that Chelsea face competition from Paris St-Germain for Juventus full-back Alex Sandro, who is available for an eye-watering £61m.

 

AND THE REST
Arsenal are interested in Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri…Watford striker Stefano Okaka has been offered a big-money move to Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua…West Brom are closing in on a £12m deal for Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez…Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu has rejected the chance of a return to Barcelona with AC Milan and Juventus both vying for his services…Swansea City are leading the chase to sign Coventry City’s George Thomas this summer…Newcastle United are in talks with Liverpool over a possible loan deal for winger Sheyi Ojo…Defender Jonny Evans is seriously considering his future at West Bromwich Albion after being left frustrated at seeing Darren Fletcher leave the club.