Transfer gossip: Newcastle, Villa wanted Spurs man as Conte eyed PL star, Murtough Man Utd confession
Newcastle United and Aston Villa wanted a Spurs forward as Tottenham eyed a Premier League star, while John Murtough has made a confession about transfer business at Man Utd…
ROMANO STILL AT IT
With the transfer window over, most rumours at this stage surround deals which could’ve happened on deadline day.
And the one about Lucas Moura possibly ending up at Newcastle United or Aston Villa is no different.
Since his heroics in the 2019 Champions League campaign, Moura’s role at Tottenham has become smaller with just 33 Premier League starts over the last two campaigns.
He is clearly set for a role as a substitute under Antonio Conte this season too with his two league appearances this campaign coming from the bench.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is still at it, even after deadline day, and he has brought us news that Newcastle ‘wanted’ Moura on deadline day with the Geordies and Aston Villa both ‘approaching’ Tottenham on Thursday.
Antonio Conte and Spurs ‘decided to keep the player’ and talks didn’t get to an ‘advanced’ stage. Romano added: ‘Lucas future remains open as he’s out of contract in June 2023 and there are chances for a free move.’
TOTTENHAM RUN OUT OF TIME
Spurs wanted to sign another forward player before the end of the transfer window but they ran out of time on deadline day, according to reports.
Tottenham were one of our transfer window winners but one more attacker would’ve made it the perfect summer for Conte and his recruitment team.
The Athletic claim that they were ‘looking into moves for Wilfried Zaha and Dan James’ with the latter moving to London rivals Fulham.
Despite it appearing that Tottenham had a successful window, Jack Pitt-Brooke in The Athletic provides an ‘alternative view’ that ‘Tottenham have failed to improve their first XI by nearly as much as they needed’. Agree?
MURTOUGH ADMISSION
Man Utd football director John Murtough has confessed that the Red Devils ‘should have abandoned talks with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong much earlier than they did’.
The Daily Express claim that Murtough and his team ‘spent the majority of the summer pointlessly pursuing a deal for the uninterested De Jong’.
It was clear early on that De Jong had no interest in moving to Old Trafford with his only target to stay at Barcelona, while there were some rumours Chelsea were also interested in the Netherlands international.
The speculation that he could move to the Blues made more sense as there was Champions League football on offer at Stamford Bridge.
The Daily Express add: ‘Despite the midfielder’s staunch stance, United chief Murtough is thought to have twice jetted off to Catalonia in attempts to convince De Jong to change his mind. However, his efforts proved in vain.’
Man Utd eventually signed Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro instead as they also got some joy on deadline day with deals for Antony and Martin Dubravka.
AND THE REST…
Paris Saint-Germain offered Neymar to Manchester City just before the transfer deadline – but the Premier League champions turned down the chance to sign the Brazil forward…Manchester United failed in a deadline-day bid to sign Raul de Tomas from Espanyol…Cody Gakpo will sign a bumper new contract at PSV Eindhoven after interest from Manchester United, Leeds United and Southampton this summer…Leeds United managed to sign Wilfried Gnonto for just £4m after refusing to meet FC Zurich’s £7m asking price for the 18-year-old…Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez says he turned down an offer of 25m euros (£21.6m) for Alberto Moleiro, who was linked with Barcelona and Manchester City earlier this summer.
