EPL Gossip for Monday July 21st
Brazil striker Robinho has told Real Madrid he is desperate to join Chelsea. (The Sun)
Ronaldo goes to Real Madrid = Robinho being sold to Chelsea to recoup some of that transfer money spent on Ronaldo.
Ronaldo stays at United = Real Madrid offers Robinho more money to make him happy.
But forward Didier Drogba looks to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge after he was left out of the club’s tour to China. (Daily Mirror)
Barcelona are thought to be preparing a £22m bid for Drogba. (Daily Express)
Drogba should be happy at Barcelona for at least one season before the moody Drogba of last year sets in.
Inter Milan are prepared to wait for England midfielder Frank Lampard’s contract at Chelsea to run out before signing him next season. (Daily Telegraph)
Still can’t see Lampard playing out the final season of his deal in limbo. I’m sure Lampard is going to love playing in every league cup game for Chelsea next year.
Aston Villa could be back on the trail of Newcastle winger James Milner after abandoning their attempts to sign Blackburn midfielder David Bentley. (Daily Telegraph)
While it still won’t be easy Villa will have a better chance of striking a deal for Milner than Bentley.
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos will spend the £57m from the sale of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov on strikers Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza) and Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow) and wingers David Bentley (Blackburn) and Diego Capel (Sevilla). (The Sun)
Out of that list can only see Milito and maybe Bentley realistically playing for Tottenham next season.
The Toffees are ready to smash their transfer record to land £18m-rated Sporting Lisbon playmaker Joao Moutinho. (Daily Express)
Moutinho is in an interesting spot here. He isn’t good enough yet to move on to the A.C Milan’s, Barcelona’s of the world as each gave Moutinho a look before passing. He can either stay at Sporting Clube de Portugal (Damn British press, it’s not Sporting Lisbon) play in the Champions League and improve as a player in a league and team he is comfortable with. On the flip side he can go to Everton, take the money, play in the biggest league in the world but a league that isn’t a perfect fit for his style of play.
Sunderland remain hopeful of clinching a £23m deal for Tottenham’s Steed Malbranque, Pascal Chimbonda, Younes Kaboul and Teemu Tainio. (Times)
Cue the earthquake I guess.
Brazil legend Pele has told England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney he needs to “learn how to defend himself, not attack his opponent”. (Various)
Pele is alittle out there.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has told striker Theo Walcott to establish himself in the first team this season. (Daily Star)
All Wenger needs to do is show faith in Walcott by starting him 3-4 starts in a row no matter how he plays. Once Walcott stops thinking that he’ll be nailed to the bench after every bad game his potential will start to show.