EPL Gossip Monday August 16th
Manchester City are willing to offload striker Roque Santa Cruz to West Ham, who have offered £8.5m for the Paraguay international. Goal.com
After the beating West Ham took against Aston Villa it doesn’t shock me if West Ham work the phones this week trying to bring a new player in.
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy could sign for Championship club Cardiff in a bid to end his Eastlands misery after he was given permission to train with his home-town club. Daily Mail
Wales international Bellamy has been told he is no longer welcome at City’s training ground. the Guardian
There must be a certain allure to playing for your hometown club. Maybe Bellamy is getting sick of his yo-yo career and wants to play week in and week out like he would with Cardiff. Don’t think he’ll end up joining Cardiff mind you.
Manchester City are considering a 25m Euro bid for Bordeaux’s France international midfielder Yoann Gourcuff. IM Scouting.com
I realize Manchester City has been busy throwing money away at other players but it’s pretty late in the day to try and wrap up a big transfer such as Yoann Gourcuff.
Marseille are lining up Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko after the French club’s bid for Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano failed. Inside Futbol.com
Tottenham would enjoy hearing this news. Pavlyuchenko proved in the second half of last year he can score in the EPL but with four strikers on the books one has to go.
Argentina legend Diego Maradona is lining up a move to become Aston Villa’s next manager following Martin O’Neill’s departure. Daily Mail
Someone is having a laugh. I do think Maradona did a decent job with Argentina but Aston Villa would never sign up for that sideshow.
Newcastle are ready to thwart Fulham’s bid for Algerian defender Rafik Halliche, although the 23-year-old is due at Craven Cottage for a medical ahead of a £1.3m move from Benfica. Daily Mail
Rafik Halliche did prove that he can defend against the best England has to offer in the World Cup.
Wigan will hit Charles N’Zogbia with a maximum £70,000 fine after he stormed out of training on Friday and missed Saturday’s opening day defeat by Blackpool. Daily Mirror
Frenchman N’Zogbia has since gone on strike, a decision that is likely to speed up his exit from the DW Stadium. Birmingham have tabled an £8m bid for the winger, although Wigan are holding out for more.
Full story: the Sun
I’d want to leave the sinking ship that is Wigan also.
Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole has been defended by manager Roy Hodgson and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after being sent off on his league debut for the Merseysiders against the Gunners. Daily Mirror
Took a certain joy out of the schedule maker matching up Liverpool vs Arsenal in the first week of the season. It was like he was trying to put one of these clubs behind the 8 ball right away. As for Joe Cole it was a silly tackle in an area of the pitch where little was going to come of it. It’s not the harshest red card I’ve seen worst and maybe the ref could of cut Joe Cole some slack as I’m sure he was running around out there trying to make a good impressive but I’m not going to say it was an awful call either.
Both teams can take something out of the match. Liverpool would of been happy with the point at halftime and Arsenal would be glad they didn’t drop three points but up a man for 45 minutes you’d think Arsenal could of done more.