Gossip: Mourinho, Guardiola, Mandanda, Negredo

MOURINHO PAY CUT
Talk of Jose Mourinho to Manchester United persists. The Daily Star offer a new line on Tuesday morning, this with regards to the Portuguese’s potential contract at Old Trafford. Having been paid £10million a year at Chelsea – thus making him the league’s highest-paid manager – Mourinho is reportedly willing to lower his demands to match the £6million-a-year deal currently on offer to Louis van Gaal.

This news comes from the Daily Star, who quote a ‘source’ as saying the following:

“Jose is making no secret of how keen he is to take charge of United if the job becomes available.

“It is not about the money. Managing United has always been one of his ambitions because of the prestige and history associated with the club.

“He knows it would be a huge challenge, but he loves working in English football and would take a wage cut if it meant getting the chance to make United great again.”

The Daily Star add that chief executive Ed Woodward is ‘agonising’ over the future of assistant manager Ryan Giggs, who is ‘in danger of being tarnished by Van Gaal’s failed regime’. Seriously? Christ.

MORE PEP TALK
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has told Pep Guardiola he will give him anything he wants to take over at Chelsea next summer,’ reads the opening paragraph on Martin Lipton’s EXCLUSIVE for The Sun. ‘Anything he wants’, eh? What if he wants the Manchester City job?

Lipton says that while Blues owner Abramovich knows City are the favourites to land Guardiola, he will not give up on the Catalan. In fact, the Russian is veritably ‘desperate’ to get the Bayern Munich boss on board.

The Daily Mail add a little more, with Neil Ashton claiming that Abramovich hopes a) the London lifestyle, b) a deal to make him the world’s highest-paid manager, and c) an overhaul of the playing staff can persuade Pep to join.

FRENCH FANCY FOR MERSEYSIDERS
There must be something in the Merseyside water. Both Simon Mignolet and Tim Howard have struggled for form over recent seasons, with the two sharing a litany of high-profile mistakes. The virus has seemingly afflicted poor Adam Bogdan, too.

Both Jurgen Klopp and Roberto Martinez have backed their goalkeepers in recent times, but Liverpool and Everton must surely be contemplating signing a new No 1? According to reports in France, they’ve both identified one. The same one.

French broadcaster Canal+ claim that a number of Premier League sides are monitoring Steve Mandanda of Marseille, Liverpool and Everton included. One unnamed club has made a bid for the Ligue Un side’s captain. The 30-year-old’s contract at Marseille expires in the summer, and he’s just a little bit better than current options.

BERAHINO, NEGREDO, BERAHINO, NEGREDO
News that Spurs are considering making a January move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino will surprise approximately no-one. It’s the list of alternatives which sees a familiar but intriguing name crop up.

According to the Daily Mail, Mauricio Pochettino is considering making a move for one Alvaro Negredo if the Berahino bid fails yet again. Former Manchester City striker Negredo is currently at Spanish side Valencia, where he has scored three goals in 13 apppearances this season. The 30-year-old did score 23 goals in 42 games for City in the 2013/14 season, before leaving permanently for Valencia earlier this year for around £20million.

The one obstacle to any potential deal could be Gary Neville. The new Valencia manager is quite the fan of Negredo’s. The newly-appointed boss said, earlier this month: “Watching him at Manchester City two or three seasons ago he made a big impact in the Premier League and he was almost like the perfect striker; he was wonderful and there is no reason why he can’t get back to that level.”

AND THE REST
Arsenal are weighing up a move for Basel’s Egyptian defensive midfielder Mohamed Elneny – a cut-price alternative in their hunt for a new defensive midfielder…Neven Subotic and Joel Matip are on Liverpool’s radar as they chase a new central defender in January…Roma striker Juan Manuel Iturbe is set to sign on loan at Watford for the rest of the season after holding official talks in a Starbucks in London…Remi Garde has targeted Bordeaux attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri as part of his January spending…Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has been denied a move to Arsenal despite having his bags packed for London…Derby are set to swoop for West Brom outcast Calum McManaman in January…Tottenham are keen on Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez, though a January bid is unlikely…Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham are all chasing Charlton’s 18-year-old Ademola Lookman who has netted three goals in seven games since making his debut last month.