EPL Gossip Tuesday November 24th
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola insists the club will not be forced to sell striker Carlton Cole in January, despite interest in the £20m-rated player from Manchester United and Liverpool. The Sun
Let’s be honest here. This is the same West ham club which sold Craig Bellamy to the highest bidder last January. If another club offers up £20 million for Carlton Cole they are going to take it. Then the club who bought Cole will have buyers remorse soon after.
Chelsea have dropped out of the running to sign Benfica’s Ángel Di María after balking at the £36m asking price, leaving the way open for the Argentine winger to join Manchester City next summer. Daily Telegraph
Talk about a price increase. A team could of had Angel Di Maria for £10-15 million last summer.
Birmingham’s £4m bid for Standard Liege’s Serbian striker Milan Jovanovic has collapsed, leaving Manchester United, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton to battle it out for his signature. Daily Mirror
Somehow I can’t imagine Manchester United picking up the scraps from a player Birmingham couldn’t close the deal on.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is willing to listen to offers for defender Anton Ferdinand and Spurs are believed to be preparing a £6m bid. (Various)
Coaches will always take a chance on Anton Ferdinand based on potential but so far during his West Ham and Sunderland days he hasn’t lived up to the talent.