Gossip: Madrid-based bad boys wanted by Spurs and Arsenal
MOURINHO KEEN ON RAMOS REUNION
“For 90 minutes, we have to be a bunch of c***s. Intelligent c***s, not stupid c***s.” That was what Jose Mourinho told his Tottenham players earlier this year but the Spurs boss evidently thinks the message hasn’t got through. Because he’s looking to sign the king of all c***s to toughen up his ‘nice guys’.
Sergio Ramos is currently half a season from becoming a free agent and while the Real Madrid defender has never been shy to use other side’s interest in him to secure a better deal from his current paymasters, Mourinho is keeping an eye on the situation just in case.
The Evening Standard reckons Jose would relish bringing Ramos to north London, while it is also claimed that Spurs could rekindle their interest in Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar.
COSTA WANTED AT ARSENAL
Arsenal too could be upping their c*** quota if AS are to be believed…
Mikel Arteta is said to be eyeing a move for Diego Costa, with Atletico Madrid willing to let the centre-forward leave six months before the end of his contract.
Costa has been given permission to skip training to look for a new club, but with the manner of Thomas Partey’s exit in the summer still fresh in their memory, Atletico might not be keen to do Arsenal any favours by cutting the former Chelsea striker loose early after all.
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GUNNERS EYE LA LIGA MIDFIELDERS
Arsenal’s scout in Spain is a busy boy. The Gunners are also said to be looking at midfielders from Barcelona and Sevilla.
The Athletic says Barca’s out-of-favour 21-year-old Riqui Puig is on Arteta’s list of targets for next month. You would think that Ronald Koeman would be happy to let Puig leave having called out the youngster recently for leaking dressing room secrets and a lax attitude to training.
Joan Jordan is also the subject of Arteta’s interest. The 26-year-old has a buy-out clause worth around £55million but The Sun reckons Sevilla would be willing to sanction a move for a fee in the region of £32million.
MAN UTD BACK OFF ALABA
If Ramos does leave Real, then his replacement could come in the shape of a free agent from Bayern Munich.
David Alaba’s agent is doing a bang up job of keeping the Austria defender in the spotlight as the clocks ticks down on his contract in Bavaria. At first it was thought that Real, Chelsea, Barca and PSG had made the shortlist, but last week it emerged that the two Manchester clubs had made an enquiry to Pini Zahavi too.
The Athletic now reckons United have shied away from Alaba over his wage demands. That being true, you can bet Barca are running for the hills too. Apparently, Real are the frontrunners and whatever Alaba gets, you can bet Ramos will be demanding too.
MILAN TARGET ZAHA
Here’s something to put the smile back on Wilfried Zaha’s face: AC Milan are interested in taking the Crystal Palace star next month.
Zaha has rediscovered his form this season, even if it looks like he wants to fight everyone along the way. The 28-year-old has seen a number of opportunities for a big move pass him by but The Sun says Milan are ready to make Palace an offer.
Whether it will be big enough to convince the Eagles to finally let go of their biggest asset, it isn’t clear. Any potential deal is ‘in its very early stages’ which suggests Milan aren’t in a position to make Palace an offer they can’t refuse.