Gossip: Man City plot £90m Kane bid; Arsenal target Brandt

Will Ford

CITYZEN KANE
A delightfully obvious and silly transfer rumour to start the new year. Pep Guardiola and Manchester City need a striker. Who’s a good striker? Harry Kane.

£90million apparently, and Bild claim City are ‘preparing a shock bid’.

Sergio Aguero has scored a remarkable 256 goals in 378 games for City and Guardiola’s side have struggled without him.

Injury has kept him from starting all but two games in the Premier League this season and recurrences of old injuries and frequent setbacks has put City on alert to find a long-term successor.

They’ve been linked with Erling Haaland (who hasn’t?) but Kane is a proven Premier League goalscorer in the prime of his career who continues to improve. And Guardiola wants the Tottenham talisman.

Kane has made no secret of his desire to win trophies and has told Spurs he would consider leaving the club if there’s no sign of progression.

 

ARSENAL ON BRANDT
Mikel Arteta has said the priority at Arsenal is to get rid of players rather than acquiring more. But that’s not to say there won’t be additions in January, and a number of playmakers have been linked with a move to the Emirates.

And Sport Bild’s Christian Falk claims Arteta sees Julian Brandt as the solution to their lack of creativity in midfield.

There have been inevitable calls for the Arsenal boss to bring Mesut Ozil in from the cold, but the Spaniard is reportedly keen to sign someone new rather than revisiting a familiar problem.

Brandt has made just six starts in the Bundesliga this season, and it seems the Gunners are ramping up their efforts to secure the 24-year-old’s signature.

An imminent deal for Brandt is reportedly high on a list of dicussion topics for Arteta, Edu and the Arsenal board, with the club looking to secure at least one stellar signing in January to revitalise an ailing squad.


Big Weekend: Manchester United v Villa, Tottenham, Lampard


 

TOFFEES TARGET SAMI
Sami Khedira and Carlo Ancelotti have good memories of working together.

“We’ve kept in contact over the years,” Khedira said of his former Real Madrid boss.

And Ancelotti responded to links with the World Cup winner earlier this month.

“Sami Khedira was my player at Real Madrid, an important player for us,” he said. “I’ve a good memory of him but I don’t think we are looking for him at this moment.”

Ancelotti then added with a smile: “Maybe in January.”

Khedira has fallen out of favour at Juventus under new boss Andrea Pirlo. The 33-year-old’s last appearance for the Old Lady was back in June.

He is eager to play in the Premier League and has interest from a number of clubs, with Everton the frontrunners according to the Daily Mail.