Weekend Transfer News and Gossip
March 23, 2012
Post created by Jordan
The hunt for Chelsea’s manager continues. Predictably, after Chelsea’s midweek defeat at the Etihad, Britain’s back pages are ripe with suggestions of who may be in line to take the reins at Chelsea. The Time Suggests that Laurent Blanc has become a leading contender to be the next manager of the Blues, with targets Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho being unlikely options. The paper reports: ‘Several potential candidates have been discussed, including Luciano Spalletti, of Zent St Petersburg, and Didier Deschamps, the Marseilles coach, but it is thought the credentials of Blanc are considered the most compelling.’
The Sun, however, believes Abramovich is set to offer Guardiola a four year deal at Stamford Bridge worth £40 Million (post tax!), which he would presumably only serve less than a season of. This would take Abramovich’s spending on managers up to £150 Million since his takeover of the club.
-Staying in Barcelona, The Daily Mail has suggested that the Catalans are lining up a whopping £35 million bid for David Luiz. Obviously impressed by his self assumed role of a centre back fused with an offensive midfielder, the player of unquestionable potential has received mixed reviews since touching England’s shores from Benfica last January for €25 million. The paper quotes that Guardiola has had ‘to turn to Javier Mascherano as a makeshift centre half’, but fails to recognise what a splendid job he has done there since being moved back. Whether the story, the proposed price tag or Luiz’s hair style is the most ridiculous aspect of this story is subject to heated debate.
-Despite signing a five and a half year deal when arriving in January 2011 and having a torrid season off the pitch, Luis Suarez is set to extend his current deal at Anfield. After the eight game ban for racial abuse he was heavily linked with departing Merseyside. A source at the club has said ‘Luis is a vital and important part of our set-up, and long may that continue.’
-Departures from Liverpool are widely anticipated this summer, with Roberto Aquilani set to trigger a clause in his contract that would see him complete a £6 Million permanent transfer to AC Milan after being on loan in Italy for the entirety of the season. Futhermore, Raheem Sterling, an England under 18 forward and winger, has been agitating for a move to Tottenham after seeing other clubs try to integrate their young talent into the first team more than Liverpool have been doing.
-Meanwhile, Manchester United are set to sign Crystal Palace player Nathaniel Clyne, offering £2.5 Million for the youngster despite his contract being up in the summer, and talkSPORT believe the Red Devils have launched a bid of around £20 Million for Benfica talent Nicolas Gaitan, to strengthen their aging midfield.
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