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Once again the newspapers abound with transfer rumors, whispers and here-say. Heavy has scoured the European press so you don’t have to, bringing you the latest news and gossip from across the old continent.
Read on for more…
Van Gaal Watches Depay
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The Manchester Evening News brings us word that Louis van Gaal watched the Netherlands beat Spain on Tuesday. In Person. That, apparently, means Man United are definitely going to sign Dutch winger Memphis Depay this summer.
While the paper fails to provide us with anything so concrete as a quote or even a fee, there is a modicum of sense behind the Depay to Old Trafford rumors. After all, it was van Gaal who gave the PSV Eindhoven forward his first cap, as well as including him in his World Cup 2014 squad, where he popped up with this long-range skimmer:
Still, “van Gaal watches his home nation play soccer” isn’t exactly a robust basis for declaring Depay is therefore on his way to United.
United Also in for Nigel de Jong
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To The Metro, who inform us that AC Milan’s Nigel de Jong has agreed a $6m-a-year contract with Manchester United. That’s quite a lot of beans to pay for a man whose primary skill-set revolves around hitting his opponents as hard as is humanly possible.
However, given United desperately need a touch of steel in the middle of the park and would get the midfield enforcer on a free, it wouldn’t be the most ridiculous move they’ve ever made.
River Plate “Dream of Falcao”
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River Plate vice president Matias Patanian has stated in an interview with Argentine media that “the doors are open” for a return to the Argentine Primera Division for Radamel Falcao. The mis-firing United striker started his professional career at the Buenos Aires club as a 15-year-old, scoring 34 goals before moving to Porto in 2009.
Per the Daily Mail, Patanian went on to say that River “dream of Falcao”. Which is all well and good, but how exactly to they intend to pay his $395,000 a week salary, or the $64 million Monaco expect in return for the Colombian?
Juventus Admit Barcelona Want Pogba
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Sky Sports report – via Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo – that former Juventus player and current Juventus suit Pavel Nedved has admitted that “Barca and other big clubs want him.” Him, in this instance, being 22-year-old midfield sensation Paul Pogba.
Barcelona president Jose Maria Bartomeu is facing an election this summer, and has reportedly decided to base his campaign on a promise to sign the French dynamo. Which is a fabulous strategy, except for the fact that Barca are banned from making any transfers until 2016.
Still, when did the truth ever get in the way of a politician’s promise?
Inter Milan Willing to pay $65m for Yaya Toure
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A number of papers believe Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini intends to raid his former club Manchester City for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure. $65 million is the fee being quoted.
While few would ever question the merits of paying a large sum of money for Toure, four times African Player of the Year and the man without whom Manchester City seem unable to win, do Inter really have that sort of cash stashed away? We think a considerably more likely transfer target would be James Milner, who, as good a player as he is, we suspect is available for considerably less.