EPL Gossip Wednesday December 22nd
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Inter Milan are trying to reduce the compensation they will have to pay to manager Rafael Benitez before officially announcing his departure from the club. Gazzetta dello Sport
Rafael Benitez’s six-month reign as Inter Milan coach will come to an end on Wednesday after he had his contract terminated by the European champions on Tuesday night. Guardian
Rafael Benitez could sit down for talks with Blackburn officials over their vacant managerial post before Christmas, with reports in Italy suggesting his agent is already negotiating a pay off ahead of his rumoured sacking by Inter Milan. Metro
Love how this is somehow Moratti fault for not spending in the summer. Last year people complain he has sent too much on players and this year it’s his fault because they haven’t when only six months ago they were the best in Europe. You don’t go from Champions League winners to 7th in Serie A because Inter are an old team, for crying out loud most of A.C Milan’s key players are over 30. It’s either Jose Mourinho did an unbelievable job guiding this “old” Inter team to the Champions League or Benitez failed in his Italian coaching adventure. Oh, I also laughed at the Blackburn rumours.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will have £50m to spend in the January transfer window with strikers Edin Dzeko of Wolfsburg and Porto’s Brazilian star Hulk top of the list along with Barcelona full-back Dani Alves. Daily Mirror
Wolfsburg is the only club I see willingly to sell mid season.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is looking to pull off a sensational double swoop for Manchester City pair Adam Johnson and Nedum Onuoha. Daily Mail
I have no idea what else Adam Johnson needs to do in order to start week in and week out.
Fulham manager Mark Hughes wants to sign former Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland, who played under the Welshman at Eastlands but has fallen out of favour at Aston Villa. Daily Mirror
I’d make the call if I was Mark Hughes. You already know the player well and you know the price it will take to sign him.
Richard Dunne’s Aston Villa career has hit a new low after being told he is now the club’s fourth-choice centre-back.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Richard Dunne and Donovan McNabb have a lot in common it seems.
Villa boss Gerard Houllier could let as many as nine players go, including the likes of Stephen Warnock and John Carew, in a major squad overhaul. Guardian
Out with the old in with the new.
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has claimed Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is the only player in the world who is better than him. Daily Mirror
Interesting kid that Balotelli.