Gossip: Fabregas, Liverpool left-back, Townsend

CROSSED WIRES
‘Cesc Fabregas has been left battling for his future at Chelsea,’ is the first paragraph in a piece by John Cross in the Daily Mirror.

‘Mirror Sport understands that Fabregas, 28, is still central to Guus Hiddink’s plans,’ is the fifth paragraph in the exact same piece by John Cross in the Daily Mirror.

Wait, what?

In an effort to re-hash claims earlier this week regarding Italian interest in Fabregas, the Mirror have got themselves all confused. Cross insists that Fabregas is ‘fighting for his future’, yet ‘is central to Hiddink’s plans’. No wonder Fabregas is playing like s**t if he is being told that his future is uncertain but he is a key player under the new manager.

Cross claims Hiddink is eager to play more defensive midfielders in defensive midfield. Shocker. Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel will therefore anchor Chelsea’s midfield for the foreseeable, which is a hilarious thought. As a result, Fabregas must fight for his place further up the pitch, most likely in the No 10 role. Only Oscar and Willian have played more often there this season. This is turning out to be a rather underwhelming ‘battle’.

LIVERPOOL WANT A LEFT-BACK
We kick off Wednesday morning’s gossip with a lovely little EXCLUSIVE from the Daily Telegraph: Liverpool will bid £4million for a left-back. Poor Alberto Moreno.

Oh, but this is a signing for the future, it seems. Jurgen Klopp is heavily interested in Leicester youngster Ben Chilwell, 19 years of age, and wanted by Arsenal and Spurs. The Gunners even had a £3.5million bid rejected for him in the summer.

Klopp has been chatting to his close friend David Wagner, formerly of Borussia Dortmund himself, and now Huddersfield Town manager. Chilwell has impressed on loan with the Terriers this season. Wagner has ‘given glowing reports’ on his progress, and Klopp is suitably interested.

Chilwell is likely to be recalled by Claudio Ranieri in January after injury to Jeffrey Schlupp, but Liverpool remain confident of a deal. According to the Telegraph’s John Percy, the left-back ‘is now emerging as a priority’, and ‘Klopp has been told that he would be ready for the first-team if a deal was struck’. He’s the new Joe Gomez, basically.

BARCA PAIR TO LONDON
Heading into 2016, Arsenal are top of the Premier League, and Tottenham are fourth. Just four points separates the two bitter rivals, with the January transfer window providing plenty of opportunity to strengthen for either side. Reports in Spain suggest they’ll do exactly that.

Mind you, ‘strengthen’ may not be the word. The familiar line, this from Spanish newspaper Sport, is that Barcelona pair Sandro Ramirez and Sergi Samper could be sold this winter. The former, Sandro, will be a target of Spurs in January, if only to confuse their whole fanbase. He is no giant, combative central midfielder, he’s a forward. Sport say that Sandro, who has a release clause of €12million, has already been offered a four-and-a-half-year contract at White Hart Lane. All Spurs need to do now is sort out that little thing called a ‘transfer fee’. Remember when tapping up was a thing?

On to Samper now, who has been linked with Arsenal since the dawn of time. The central midfielder’s release clause is also €12million. Naturally, Arsenal are willing to offer just €6million. They prefer Kim Kallstrom, clearly (please make it happen).

Sandro has three goals in 18 appearances this season for Barcelona, a hat-trick against a lower-league side in the cup his only offering. Samper has played nine games in the Barca first team since breaking through in 2014. ‘Uninspiring’ is not the word.

THE END FOR TOWNSEND
Sunderland look to have beaten Newcastle in the most underwhelming transfer race of the year: the battle to sign Andros Townsend.

The Independent claim Sam Allardyce’s side are willing to take Townsend off Spurs, with the north London club hoping to offload the out-of-favour winger this January. Chairman Daniel Levy has put a £14million price tag on Townsend, which is the most Daniel Levy thing to have ever happened. This is a player who has started three games in all competitions this season, none of which have come in the Premier League.

Anyway, Sunderland have persuaded Townsend to move to the sunny north-east by offering him a lot of money, basically. The 24-year-old will see his current £40,000-a-week salary ‘significantly increase’ at the Stadium of Light. We’re in the wrong job.

Watford and West Brom were also interested in Townsend, who is said to be eager to leave Spurs as he is worried that his place in England’s Euro 2016 squad is in jeopardy. That ship has sailed, fella.

AND THE REST
Manchester City are keeping tabs on the contract situation of young Liverpool forward Jerome Sinclair, who could be available as a free agent in the summer…Manchester United are monitoring Everton’s emerging midfielder Joe Williams…Swansea City will consider offloading Bafetimbi Gomis to Qatari club Lekhwiya next month as the club prepare to overhaul their squad, with a loan move for Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford expected to be considered…Patrick Bamford is ready to disappoint Middlesbrough by seeking to stay in the Premier League…Newcastle United are considering a £10million swoop for CSKA Moscow and Russia playmaker Alan Dzagoev…West Brom are set to hold talks with Arsenal over the possibility of scrapping Serge Gnabry’s season-long loan move…Norwich City have agreed a deal in principle with Everton for the £8m purchase of Steven Naismith, but they may face competition from Sunderland, Swansea City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United…Leicester City’s £9million striker Andrej Kramaric is wanted by Torino.