BRITISH RECORD FEE FOR DE BRUYNE?
Kevin De Bruyne is a lovely player, of that there is no doubt. However, there must come
a point when Manchester City turn round and say "Actually, Wolfsburg, you just keep
adding £10m onto the price so we're probably going to leave it. Nice kit, though."
City seemed to start the bidding at £30m for a player who Chelsea sold for £18m in
January 2014. The asking price then seemed to rise to £40m and then £50m. The Daily
Mirror now claim City might have to pay a British record £60m for the Belgian. That's a
lot of money, maths fans. Almost double the amount Eden Hazard cost Chelsea, in fact.
What's more, the Mirror say that City are prepared to pay that £60m, which is big balls.
Dropping £100m on two players in two weeks would be some statement of intent.
DI MARIA IS LEAVING
Three words. Three little words. Three little words that make us a bit sad. Not only did Angel Di Maria not work out at
Manchester United, he never even came close.
Obviously having his house broken into was a horrible ordeal, but the way in which Di Maria has looked almost
entirely unarsed has been one of the most obvious footballing disappointments in the past year. The Daily Mirror
report a source 'close to negotiations' who claims Di Maria will not play for Untied again, and that comes as no
surprise.
Still, it's hard to shake the feeling that Di Maria will go to Paris and tear it up. The little Paris Angel.
SZCZESNY TO ROMA
To the Guardian now, who report that Roma have agreed a deal to loan Wojciech Szczesny from Arsenal. The big
news is that they would then have an option to buy him for £3.5m, which seems a good deal to us.
Despite Arsenal supporters continuously insisting that Szczesny will come good, it seems that Arsene Wenger has
lost patience with his goalkeeper. The initial expectation was that it would David Ospina sacrificed (not literally), but
that now appears unlikely.
The good news for Szczesny is that smoking footballers are a lot more commonplace in Italy.
AND THE REST
Everton are furious with Chelsea for waging what they feel is an underhand campaign to unsettle John Stones...
Emmanuel Adebayor and Aaron Lennon have been banished from Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs squad for the new
season... Tottenham are in talks with Aston Vila over striker Adebayor while Everton want winger Lennon but are not
prepared to meet Spurs' £9m valuation... Anderlecht defender Chancel Mbemba has confirmed he is joining
Newcastle taking their summer spending to £35million... Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy has had a medical at
Crystal Palace and is expected to complete a £3m move from the Championship club... Crystal Palace travelled to
South Africa on a pre-season tour without Norwich and Derby target Barry Bannan, who seems surplus to
requirements after the summer signing of Yohan Cabaye.
Middlesbrough are making an astonishing bid worth £14million for Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes... Arsene
Wenger is ready to incur Barcelona's wrath with an £8.5million swoop for starlet Sergi Samper... Liverpool are
tracking Lucas Digne, the Paris Saint-Germain left back, as they look to apply the finishing touches to their summer
business... Manchester United are taking a look at New York Red Bulls prospect Matt Olosunde as the 16-year-old
defender trains with the club... Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis is seriously considering a move to Al Ahli in Dubai
after they offered a salary of £3.5m-a-year tax free... Rolando Aarons is set to sign a new contract with Newcastle
amid interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool... Watford are in negotiations with Blackburn Rovers over
their striker Rudy Gestede, with the Championship side holding out for a fee of £7m.
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