EPL Gossip Friday January 16th
Reports in Italy suggest the price Manchester City will have to pay for Kaka has now risen from £100m to £130m. (Daily Telegraph)
Other reports claim City will make a more conservative, yet still increased, bid of £108m for the Brazilian. (Sun)
Kaka is set to tell Manchester City he will sign for them but not until the summer, although AC Milan are considering a £75m offer plus £32m in other fees for the deal to go through in January. (Daily Star)
Kaka would join City for £108m, the agents involved would earn £18m and the player’s father £9m. (Guardian)
Mark Hughes is so confident of signing Kaka that he has already drawn up a new 4-1-4-1 system to accommodate the former world footballer of the year in his proposed debut against Newcastle on 28 January. (Guardian)
The 4-1-4-1 system can also resemble scores Manchester City will still lose by during Kaka’s first two games.
Real Madrid have made a fresh move to sign Liverpool winger Jermain Pennant on a six-month loan until May, when he will make way for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo. (Daily Mirror)
It still leaves me shaking my head how Jermain Pennant’s name can be linked any where near Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Portsmouth are confident of taking Pennant to Fratton Park and hope to open negotiations over the weekend. (Various)
At the very least Pennant would play for Portsmouth.
Manchester City are close to signing Hamburg’s Nigel de Jong with the Dutch holding midfielder valued at £15m. (Daily Mail)
With Dietmar Hamann injured a move for a player with de Jong skills which largely goes under the radar would be a wise move on Ctiy’s part. The again you can throw a dart at the team list of players and link them with Manchester City.
Spanish club Espanyol say they have a deal in place for their goalkeeper Carlos Kameni to join City. (Daily Mail)
As we see with this rumor.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to offer striker Nicklas Bendtner in a part exchange deal for West Ham’s former Gunners defender Matthew Upson. (Daily Mirror)
West Ham would be wise to hang on to Upson until the summer then sell him. West Ham are already weak defensively, with Upson gone the Hammers would be in a real dog fight at the bottom of the table.
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is set to launch a £14m bid for Tottenham striker Darren Bent. (Daily Mirror)
Bent does fit the big and strong mode ala John Carew that Martin O’Neill likes in a player.
Spurs have won the race to sign Wigan’s £14m-rated midfielder Wilson Palacios. (Sun)
Spurs hope to conclude a £13m straight cash deal for Palacios, although midfielder Jermaine Jenas could be offered in a part exchange deal. (Guardian)
If true not bad of a return for a player Steve Bruce picked up from the scrap heap not once but twice last season.
Bolton are considering an approach for Benfica striker Ariza Makukula after he rejected a loan move to West Brom. (Daily Mail)
So much for me talking up Makukula yesterday.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is targeting Nuremberg striker Angelos Charisteas, who scored the winning goal for Greece at Euro 2004. (Daily Mirror)
Must thank the daily mirror for bringing up that sore spot for me again.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has pleaded with the Anfield board to make defender Daniel Agger an offer he can’t refuse amid speculation the Dane will leave for AC Milan. (Daily Mirror)
A useful player like Agger would be a) Hard to replace and more importantly b) Expensive to replace. Teams gunning for a title can’t sell off squad players mid season.
A Premier League footballer broke down in tears after blowing £1m at a casino in one night. (Daily Star)
Ouch, makes my Vegasmania VI experience not seem to bad in hindsight (I name my Vegas trips in the same fashion as Wrestlemania’s)