PARIS ST GERMAIN WANT MARTIAL
We’re starting in The Sun, and __with a whacking great claim about Anthony Martial. It’s another Daniel Cutts ‘exclusive’, and you know how much we like them.
Cutts reports that Paris St Germain are eyeing a move for Martial. We’re not given anything on other details, such as whether Martial would want the move, or whether United would want to sell. ‘Club wants highly-rated player’ isn’t that surprising, is it? Bristol City would like to sign Lionel Messi, too.
The question on the lips of regular readers is ‘has Cutts used a club source, as is customary?’ Of course he bloody has:
“It is well known PSG are very keen if the club does consider selling. He has been dropped recently against Feyenoord and West Ham and has generally struggled for form.”
This was written before the EFL Cup win, wasn’t it?
LIVERPOOL TO BID £20M FOR DEMBELE
He missed out on our ‘Dembele of the week’ award this week, but Celtic’s Moussa Dembele will be the subject of a £20m bid from Liverpool in January. That’s according to Glasgow Live, who we’ll happily admit that we’ve never heard of.
The report claims that Liverpool will offer £10m up front for Dembele, __with another £10m due in add ons. We’ll save Liverpool the bother by telling them now that that bid will be rejected out of hand. Dembele is one of the hottest properties in European football having scored 17 times this season already. There’s no way Celtic will let him go on the cheap.
ARSENAL TO BREAK BANK FOR LLORENTE
It’s with some trepidation that we bring you news from the Daily Star. It’s not they have a record for outlandish transfer claims that don’t come off, but that…. OK, it’s exactly what we just said.
Lewis Winter writes that Arsenal are prepared to pay what it takes to sign Marcos Llorente from Real Madrid. They use Don Balon as their source, which is as sensible as putting a pencil in each nose and shouting “Wibble”.
In fact, that Don Balon story is from November 26, so not only is it probable bulls**t but also five days old. Top work.
NEWS OF PARDEW’S PAYOFF
The job safety of being a professional football manager might be equivalent to that of a Fugu taster, but you can’t deny the benefits of a sugary payoff. Prepare yourselves for a wide Alan Pardew grin.
If Pardew is indeed sacked soon by Crystal Palace (and we’re quite surprised he’s lasted this long), The Times report that he will demand a £5m payment. That’s because he signed a new contract in the summer, taking him until 2020.
We’ve said it before and will say it again: there’s nothing that rewards failure quite like football.
AND THE REST
Juventus have ‘fallen in love’ with the Belgium international Romelu Lukaku and opened channels with his agent, Mino Raiola… Leicester have increased their offer for Genk anchorman Wilfred Ndidi to £20m… Daley Blind fears he will be sold by Manchester United next summer, with Jose Mourinho set for a major defensive rebuild… Everton are close to striking a deal to sign Charlton’s Ademola Lookman in January ahead of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City… Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo is wanted by Bayer Leverkusen… West Ham United are preparing an offer worth up to £25m for Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson… Genk’s Leon Bailey will cost Premier League suitors at least £17m if they want to sign him in January.