Gossip: United want £51m left-back; Bellerin, Hart

Matt Stead

LEFT-BACK NEWS
You know what Manchester United really need? A left-back.

Wait, what? That’s not right. It can’t be. Can it? It is according to the Daily Mail, who claim that the club are ‘eyeing a move’ for Benfica defender Alex Grimaldo.

It is the latest in a long, long, long, long, long old line of ‘club scouts player so must be buying him’ stories. United scouts were sent to watch the 21-year-old play – and score – in a 4-0 win over Feirense on Sunday. That means the club must be ‘lining up a move’.

We can only see a few problems here. One is in the shape of Luke Shaw. Another is the fact that his release clause is £51million. The third is that Manchester City also want him, and scouts from Juventus, Valencia and Middlesbrough were also at the game on Sunday. That is a fight only Middlesbrough can win.

 

RIGHT-BACK NEWS
You’re only here for the transfer gossip about full-backs, here for the transfer gossip about fullllll-baaaaacks. You’re only here for the transfer gossip about fulllll-baaaaacks…

Manchester City and Barcelona both want Hector Bellerin; Arsenal will fend off their interest by offering him a new contract. John Cross of the Daily Mirror says the Spaniard is in line for a five-year deal.

The 21-year-old has three years remaining on his current contract at the Emirates Stadium, but ‘Arsenal are now of a mind to push full steam ahead with a significant pay rise to put him high up their pay scale’. So there.

 

HARTBREAKER
We finish with a massive old scoop from Goal.com: Chelsea want Joe Hart.

The claim is understandable. Personally, we cannot think of any other reason why Antonio Conte would watch Torino’s 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Sunday. That is Italian person Antonio Conte. Former Juventus manager Antonio Conte. Juventus, that city in Turin. A bit like, y’know, Torino.

But no, Conte has definitely ’caused a stir’ by watching the game. The article, which has no author, weirdly enough, states the following:

‘While the motives for his trip back to Turin, where he starred as a player and coach for Juventus, have not been confirmed, there were a number of players on display that could be Blues targets in the coming transfer window.’

‘The motives for his trip back to Turin have not been confirmed’. Probably because Conte doesn’t see it necessary to ‘confirm’ that he’s gone home for a little bit during the international break.

 

AND THE REST
Current Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois, 24, has played down rumours that he wants to return to Spain…Sam Allardyce is hoping to resurrect his management career by scooping a top job in the US…Manchester City are interested in Lazio forward Alessandro Rossi, 19, according to his agent.