The worry for Stoke fans was always that Steven N'Zonzi would leave the club as soon
as he got really good. Their worst fears are close to being realised.
The ever-reliable John Percy reports that Sevilla are close to sealing a £7m to sign the
French midfielder after the two clubs agreed a fee. N'Zonzi is understandably keen to
play in the Champions League.
Given that N'Zonzi is entering the last year of his contract the price is probably fair, but
Stoke are going to have a damn difficult job replacing him.
STERLING RINGS IN SICK
Oh wow. We would never suggest that Raheem Sterling is not genuinely sick but it does seem a tad timely that this
illness has descended on the day that the nation's newspapers reported that he has asked not to go on tour with Liverpool next week.
On Monday, Sterling apparently told Brendan Rodgers that he does not want to travel with Liverpool to Asia and Australia because he is desperate to leave the club, preferably to Manchester City. Now he has taken awful poorly.
RVP TO FENERBAHCE (AGAIN)
Fenerbahce are confident of completing a deal to sign Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, according to Sky sources.
The Turkish club's director Guiliano Terraneo apparently travelled to London to discuss a potential deal with United chiefs for the 31-year-old Netherlands striker, who has one year left on his contract at Old Trafford.
CABAYE ON HIS WAY TO PALACE...
Yohan Cabaye has turned down Atletico Madrid and 'a few other English clubs' in order to be reunited with Alan Pardew, according to L'Equipe. Which is quite extraordinary.
The fee is apparently £10m rising to £13m (according to the BBC), personal terms have been agreed (£100,000 a week, according to various reports on Tuesday) and a medical is set to take place in the next 48 hours.
WILLIAM CARVALHO FOR REAL?
Rafa Benitez likes a good holding midfielder and the good holding midfielder he likes right now is Sporting Lisbon's William Carvalho, according to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.
He would cost a pretty penny though - the 23-year-old's buy-out clause is set at £32m. We are contractually obliged to say here that he has been strongly linked with both Arsenal and Manchester United.
MAN CITY TARGET HIGUAIN?
Now this is a transfer that makes sense in theory - though we're not sure that £42m for a 27-year-old should ever really make sense.
Tuttomercatoweb claim that Manchester City (as well as Arsenal) are interested in Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain,presuming they can cash in on one or both of Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic.
DE GEA DEAL AGREED
Well, well. El Confidencial in Spain claim that Manchester United and Real Madrid have agreed a fee for David de Gea of £28.6m. As the goalkeeper has already allegedly agreed a wage cut to move back to Spain (he will be paid just£67k a week after tax), the deal is surely now just a matter of time.
El Confidencial make no mention of Sergio Ramos in their article; we suspect that Madrid's alleged offer of £28.6m halted all demands for the defender to be included in the deal.
DI MARIA FOR GOTZE?
Yesterday we had the b**locks about Angel Di Maria being swapped for Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and cash.
Today we have Sport Bild claiming that Di Maria could be swapped for Mario Gotze, as reported by ESPN.
The evidence for that seems to be Gotze's agent mouthing off about his treatment at Bayern, but we still remain wholly unconvinced.
Still, it definitely contains more truth than yesterday's effort, as dissected right here .
REAL REJECT CHELSEA'S ISCO BID
We didn't realise it had been confirmed that Chelsea had made a bid for Real Madrid midfielder Isco, but the Daily Mirror informs us that a) they did bid, b) that bid was £20m, and c) it has been rejected by Madrid.
Isco is 23 and joined Real Madrid for £23m two years ago. He hasn't really kicked on at the Bernabeu, however, leading to interest from Manchester City and Chelsea. We're not sure how he fits into Chelsea's first-choice side
either, to be honest.
Meanwhile, the Mirror also reveal where Izzy Brown is going on loan to next season. It begins with 'V' and ends in
'itesse Arhem'.
ARSENAL INTERESTED IN DI MARIA
Bring a basket to the rumour farm, because it's pick-your-own bulls**t day. This really is silly season.
The Daily Mail claim that Arsenal could sign Angel Di Maria from Manchester United. Actually.
The Mail themselves admit that United would be reluctant to sell to a direct rival, while Di Maria's reported £280,000-per-week wages would be beyond Arsenal. Both of which are true.
They then say Arsenal 'would be interested provided a deal would fit into their financial framework'. You've just told
us that it wouldn't fit their financial framework.
UNITED WANT SCHNEIDERLIN SORTED
To the Guardian now, and news that Manchester United would quite like to get their deal for Morgan Schneiderlin wrapped up before they head off to the US on Monday.
That's all very well chaps, but in order to do so you probably need to make a bid that Ronald Koeman considers as serious. Southampton are clearly preparing for Schneiderlin's departure by targeting Feyenoord's Jordy Clasie, but United just need to stump up the cash in order to get a deal done quickly. The midfielder won't be leaving on the
cheap.
AND THE REST
Micah Richards has told his new skipper Fabian Delph not to swap Aston Villa for Manchester City - unless he
genuinely believes he is world class...Alan Pardew will splash the cash in a double bid to land both Yohan Cabaye
and QPR striker Charlie Austin...Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has issued a come-and-get-me plea to
Leicester...Leicester are trying to sign Caen star N'Golo Kante - despite not having a manager in place. City, who
fired Nigel Pearson earlier this month, have offered £6m for the defensive midfielder...Everton have made an £8milion
bid for Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann.
Newcastle have stepped up their interest in Georginio Wijnaldum - but now face competition from Everton...Former
Reading and Crystal Palace winger Jimmy Kebe is to have a trial with Mallorca; the 31-year-old is a free agent after
his Palace contract was cancelled in January...West Ham have failed in a bid to sign Rennes winger Paul-Georges
Ntep, who would prefer a move to a Champions League club...Aston Villa are stepping up their pursuit of Nice left-
back Jordan Amavi...Alex Neil has been told it will cost promoted Norwich £9m to prise Robbie Brady away from
relegated Hull.
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