EPL Gossip Tuesday April 13th
AC Milan are ready to table a significant bid for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba this summer, according to reports in Italy. footylatest.com
Maybe if this was a couple of years ago this would make sense. Now it’s pretty much pointless. Drogba is happy at Chelsea plus like many elite strikers Drogba needs the supporting cast around him to be happy. At a new club who never know how a player is going to fit in.
Barcelona have joined Inter Milan in the race to sign Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. imscouting.com
All things being equal you know the player and club who decide to deal with Barcelona.
Manchester City are on the verge of agreeing a deal to sign Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng for 12.5m euros, according to the Hamburger Abendblattes newspaper. (AFP news agency)
Hamburg must love Manchester City as they have pocketed close to 30 million between Boateng and Nigel De Jong if this happens.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be given a £45m transfer kitty to spend during the summer, which could allow him to recruit long-time targets midfielder Felipe Melo from Juventus and Inter striker Mario Balotelli. goal.com
I don’t care who ends up owning the team, just can’t see Wenger spending 45 million.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will try to persuade Old Trafford chiefs to allow him to splash out £60m this summer to sign striker Karim Benzema and winger David Silva from Real Madrid and Valencia respectively. The Sun
Would what would happen if the Manchester United bean counters say no?
Chelsea are also planning a raid on Valencia, with £50m-rated forward David Villa the target. caughtoffside.com
Another rumour which has been around for aslong as the Internet it seems.
Liverpool are ready to make a renewed effort to snap up promising Dutch winger Eljero Elia for £9m from Hamburg this summer. caughtoffside.com
Hamburg Europa League run aside Elia would be another player who has very little idea how to win. Hard to build a winning team when so few of your players have ever done it before.
Manchester City have put 26-year-old Paraguayan striker Oscar Cardozo on their list of summer targets after he caught the eye in Benfica’s Europa League quarter-final clash with Liverpool.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Very big on Cardozo but have a feeling he would sit next to fellow Paraguayan Rogue Santa Cruz on the Manchester City bench.
Cardozo could replace fellow Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz at Eastlands, with Tottenham considering a move for the out-of-favour 28-year-old. caughtoffside.com
Or not
Everton will try to sign Inter Milan’s former Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari this summer. caughtoffside.com
Don’t think Inter would sell Muntari at a loss but if they don’t win the Serie A this season some heads will roll.
Manchester United are ready to sell striker Dimitar Berbatov at the end of the season. The Bulgarian has struggled to make an impact since his £30.75m switch from Spurs in September 2008 and it appears as though manager Sir Alex Ferguson has lost faith in him. The Sun
Who buys Berbatov and how much is the question? Can’t see any team playing more than 15-20 million for him.
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres could miss out on a return to his old club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final on 22 April after being booked in for further treatment on his knee injury with a specialist in Barcelona. Daily Mail
Not saying Torres is faking an injury but it’s the second time he has missed a game against his former club. Remember him being hurt in the Champions League two years ago. I’m sure Torres would have a heavy heart if he had to face his childhood club.