Gossip: Man Utd and Chelsea eye Germany strikers

JANUARY IS MULLER TIME FOR MAN UTD
Today’s word of the day: Raumdeuter.
That was how Thomas Muller described himself and how he plays. And the word on the street – well, the Daily Mail – is that Manchester United are keen to bring Bayern Munich’s ‘space interpreter’ to Old Trafford in January.
United are desperate for attacking inspiration, as the win over Partizan Belgrade once again highlighted. It is hard to know what they should go for first – a centre-forward or a creative player to service the front line.
In Muller, Ed Woodward may see both. The 30-year-old has a couple of years remaining on his Bayern contract but Niko Kovac certainly doesn’t regard Muller as indispensable. The World Cup winner has started fewer than half of Bayern’s Bundesliga matches this term, though that doesn’t mean he will come cheap in January.
Nor would James Maddison or Ben Chilwell. In fact, the Leicester pair aren’t likely to come at all in January, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Which everyone already assumed. Leicester would be out of their minds to sell either Maddison or Chilwell mid-season, and the players would be daft to go before next summer.
CHELSEA PREPARE FOR STRIKER MOVES
United aren’t the only club looking at a German striker.
The Sun reckons Chelsea are eyeing up a move for Timo Werner in January, and the RB Leipzig forward is certainly an attractive proposition. Despite having signed a new contract at the end of the summer, Werner is said to have a release clause worth an paltry £30million.
What does that matter when Chelsea can’t sign anyone until next summer? Because the Blues are growing in confidence that they will be given a reprieve in time for January.
Werner still seems destined for Bayern, but Chelsea have an alternative in Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson, though the England striker would cost double the amount Werner might be available for.
JACK OFF TO ROMA?
Absolutely fair f*cks to Jack Rodwell’s agent…
The former England star is once again a free agent after an alarmingly-steep descent from Manchester City’s midfield to Sunderland outcast. Rodwell dusted off his boots for Blackburn last season but since leaving Ewood Park in the summer, he has once again been kicking his heels.
Which makes Roma’s interest all the more astonishing. The Serie A giants are currently wading through an injury crisis and looking for anyone who might do a job for them. Their search for free agents has led them to Rodwell and the Daily Mail says the 28-year-old is heading to the Italian capital for talks over a deal until the end of the season.
AND THE REST
Leicester are eyeing Trabzonspor midfielder Kerem Baykus… Morgan Gibbs-White won’t be leaving Wolves on loan… Monaco are unable to recall Djibril Sidibe from his loan at Everton amid interest from AC Milan.