Gossip: Tielemans, Austin, Adebayor…
Arsenal are prepared to bid for Anderlecht midfielder Youri Tielemans in January, Newcastle are ready to test QPR by offering just £6million for Charlie Austin, and Emmanuel Adebayor “would play for nothing”…
NEWCASTLE TO OFFER £6M FOR AUSTIN
Despite being billed as a £15million striker in the summer, Newcastle are hoping that Charlie Austin’s valuation will drop massively by the time January rolls around. Of course, the England hopeful is out of contract next summer and so could leave for free then, leaving QPR with nothing.
The £6million claims come from the Daily Telegraph. They say reservations over Austin’s fitness, namely his troublesome knee, prevented them from paying £15million before, but Steve McClaren is willing to test QPR’s resolve with a lower bid after Aleksandar Mitrovic turned out to be slightly insane and Papiss Cisse hankered for a move.
As the Telegraph say, much of any potential deal hinges on the Rs’ promotion push. Austin tops the Championship scoring charts with five goals from six games, with Rangers just outside the play-off places at this early stage. They’re unlikely to let the 26-year-old go if a Premier League return becomes a bigger possibility.
GUNNERS HOPE ANDERLECHT ARE YOURI SELLERS
Over to Calciomercato now, because who doesn’t love an excellent dose of Italian bulls**t on a Monday morning?
The world-renowned website have published a story containing just 20 words, but it’s more than enough to sate the football world’s appetite. They claim that Arsenal are contemplating a January move for Anderlecht midfielder Youri Tielemans who, if you hadn’t heard, is really quite good.
The Belgian midfielder is a first-team regular despite being born in 1997. He made his Champions League debut at the age of just 16, and has been monitored by the likes of Chelsea for a while now. Could he be Arsenal’s first outfield signing since Gabriel?
Probably not.
And despite no claims as such from Calciomercato, the likes of the Metro and the Daily Mirror have crowbarred in a £14million valuation because of course they have.
SHERWOOD: ADE ‘WOULD PLAY FOR NOTHING’
This is delightful.
Speaking before news of Emmanuel Adebayor’s release by Spurs broke on Sunday, Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood provided a glimmer of hope for the Togolese international.
Basically, Tim is still very much interested. Adebayor will now have to wait until January to seal a move elsewhere as a free agent, but Sherwood has placed himself at the front of a very short line hoping to attain the 31-year-old’s services.
“I would not hesitate. If he had the desire to want to come and play football again, I would have taken him in a heartbeat,” Sherwood began, building up to a magical crescendo.
“It’s not financial. It’s easy to say that when you’re on his money, but he would genuinely play for nothing.” And there it is. After stopping himself playing football for another three months by demanding the remainder of his £100,000-a-week Spurs contract was paid in full to the tune of around £5million, Adebayor would actually “play for nothing”.
AND THE REST…
Newcastle manager Steve McClaren will block loan moves for defender Mike Williamson, 31, and winger Yoan Gouffran, 29...West Ham’s new £7m winger Michail Antonio, 25, says his mum stopped him signing for Tottenham as a teenager…France striker Anthony Martial, 19, is set to be handed his first start for Manchester United against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, following his debut goal against Liverpool.West Ham had to fend off interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal to keep 16-year-old English midfielder Reece Oxford, according to Hammers chairman David Gold.