Today’s tell-all is preparing to hurtle downhill
With just five days to go before the January transfer windows slams shut, the final preparations are being made. Sky Sports News presenter Jim White is gargling honey and lemon ahead of his Deadline Day broadcast, Stoke roll-up man is stocking up on Old Holborn and Rizlas, and QPR manager Harry Redknapp is having the electrics on his Range Rover’s driver side window serviced. Meanwhile at the Emirates Stadium, a delegation of Arsenal club officials are packing their overnight bags ahead of a trip to Germany to continue haggling with their Schalke counterparts over a fee for Julian Draxler.
The Bundesliga side are believed to want £37m for the 20-year-old midfielder, which is the release fee written into his contract, although Arsenal are hoping to get him for a sum nearer £25m. Yesterday’s rumours that Sky Sports Germany had reported Arsenal might be willing to include Lukas Podolski in a trade for Draxler appear to have been greatly exaggerated, with Bundesliga expert about London town Raphael Honigstein having scotched them on Twitter.
Former Premier League striker-turned-Sky Sports Germany pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft also took to the social networking site to report that while Bayern Munich are almost certainly interested in signing Draxler, the player himself has been talking to Arsène Wenger. Should he move to north London, Lewis Holtby could move the other way, with Schalke believed to be interested in bringing the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder to Gelsenkirchen as a replacment for their pride and joy.
Like Arsenal, Manchester United are also rumoured to planning a shopping expedition to Germany, but will wait until the summer to try to prise big name players Tony Kroos and Marco Reus away from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Newcastle have rejected a £14m bid for Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain and ordered the French club not to waste their time with any offer less than £25m. Italian daily newspaper La Stampa say Manchester United may try to turn Cabaye’s head and also report that PSG are ready to lure some chap by the name of Lionel Messi to Paris by triggering his €250m release clause at Barcelona. In slightly less sensational news, Sam Allardyce is prepared to give Southampton’s record signing Dani Osvaldo a fresh start in England by taking the Argentinian, recently suspended by Saints for attacking a team-mate, on loan to Upton Park. With Fiorentina, Juventus and Inter all scrambling to secure Osvaldo’s services, Big Sam may have to look elsewhere for a goalscorer and may well make an improved £5m offer for Leeds striker Ross McCormack today.
In news that will displease Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, Spanish TV station La Sexta report that Chelsea have already agreed a £31m deal with Atletico Madrid that will bring in-form goalscorer Diego Costa to Stamford Bridge next summer, while German newspaper Bild claims José Mourinho is also monitoring the progress of 22-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder Antoine Griezmann.
Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna is in popular demand, with Manchester City, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Galatasaray and Real Madrid all believed to be clamouring for the attention of his Mr 15%. Meanwhile on Merseyside, scouts representing both Liverpool and Everton have been busy. Liverpool talent-spotters were at Rayo Vallecano’s Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas to watch 19-year-old defensive midfielder Saúl Niguez play in his side’s 4-2 defeat at the hands of Atlético Madrid, his parent club.
Having lost the desperately unlucky Bryan Oviedo to a broken leg over the weekend, Everton may step up their efforts to bring Feyenoord defender Bruno Martins Indi to Goodison Park. The Dutch international is also wanted by Newcastle United and is valued at around £8m. Everton have also been linked with Valencia midfielder Sergio Canales, who is unwanted by his manager Juan Antonio Pizzi and available on loan. Fulham manager René Meulensteen also likes the cut of the 22-year-old former Real Madrid starlet’s jib.
Barry Glendenning
theguardian.com