Gossip: Liverpool still want White; Nice move for Lingard
WHITE ON REDS’ RADAR
Liverpool need another centre-back. Playing two midfielders in central defence against Southampton highlighted that, no matter how happy Jurgen Klopp says he is to muddle on through.
The Liverpool Echo has labelled links with Sergio Ramos, David Alaba and Sven Botman as ‘tentative and speculative’ – but there is ‘genuine interest’ in Ben White.
The Reds have been tracking White since his loan spell at Leeds last season and the Echo believes that all their groundwork has gone towards a move in the summer.
OZIL OPEN TO EARLY ARSENAL EXIT
January is all about the outcasts…
Mesut Ozil is certainly in that bracket at Arsenal, not that it initially bothered the former Germany star all the while the Gunners were depositing something in the region of £350,000 a week into his bank account.
But Ozil is becoming bored and David Ornstein says the 32-year-old is willing to leave some of what he is owed on the table if it means a swift shredding of his contract.
For The Athletic, Ornstein writes that Ozil is due around £7million between now and the expiry of his contract at the end of June. He is willing to compromise – Ozil, not Orny – but if Gunners aren’t reasonable then the player is willing to sit on the sidelines tweeting until the summer.
READ MORE: The transfer record progression of every club
ROSE LINKED WITH WEST BROM SWITCH
Danny Rose might also be tearing up his contract this month.
The ex-England defender is out of the picture at Tottenham and, like Ozil, Rose has spoken of his determination to sit it out while taking money for nothing.
Spurs have tried hard to get Rose off the books but, in the player’s opinion, not hard enough. However, Talksport seems to think that a move to West Brom might be in the offing, which would give Rose something else to do while he counts down the days to retirement.
LINGARD HEADING FOR FRANCE?
Jesse Lingard, though, seems to have taken the hint. The former England star has done more for the pistachio cause than Manchester United’s this season and a January exit seems inevitable.
Lingard has been linked with Sheffield United but the 28-year-old reportedly doesn’t fancy wading into a relegation fight. Inter Milan might have been more up his street but, for once, Antonio Conte wasn’t interested in a United cast-off.
Links with Real Sociedad appear to have faded, so Lingard’s agents have moved on to France where, according to Sky Sports, they have held talks with Nice over a potential loan move. United, apparently, should brace themselves for an approach in the next week.
READ MORE: What every Premier League club needs in January
ARSENAL EYE BARCA KEEPER
Back to Arsenal briefly. The Gunners want a goalkeeper this month and they have been linked with a move for Tom Heaton, who has found his prospects at Villa diminished by the signing of ex-Arsenal stopper Emi Martinez.
Heaton is one of a number of keepers the Gunners are looking at. Sky Sports says Neto is another.
But Barcelona aren’t in a position to be giving away their players and having demanded £18.6million to let the Brazilian leave in the summer, it seems Arsenal will be priced out of a move for the 31-year-old.