Rumour Reel: Toure can’t be bought
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We flick through the latest transfer news and gossip
Midfielder Yaya Toure won’t be jumping the sinking Man City ship, and certainly not for the mega-rich Chinese Super League either. The vastly-experienced 33-year-old, who can’t be short of a few quid already, reportedly turned down £430,000-a-week to move. Don’t you just wish you were great at football?
Toure’s contract expires at the end of the season, and it’s unlikely he will be offered an extension with his current employers, but it is understood that he enjoys playing his football in England, what’s not to love? Having knocked back that kind of money, I doubt we’ll see a third offer come in from that part of the world.
Depay on his way
Memphis Depay looks to be on his way out of the Old Trafford exit door in January, with Lyon leading the way to capture his signature. A deal is expected to be announced within the next two-days, but the Red Devils are eager to get back a chunk of the £25m paid for the 22-year-old.
Depay has featured very little under boss Jose Mourinho and his departure will come as little surprise to followers, neither should it leave too big of a hole in their side. Instead, it may just free up a bit of extra cash, and peg in the locker room, for a new face, with The Special One said to be on the trail of a striker.
Forward thinking from Jose
Sticking with in-form Manchester United and Mourinho looks hot on the heels of Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, although nothing is expected to move until the summer. That’s if you believe reports in the morning papers, which we rarely do.
Jose and those above have one eye on the future and are looking for the next hot-shot to fill the boots of Rooney and Ibramovich when they pack up for good. That’s no mean feat, but Griezmann would certainly fit the bill and some of the red tops have the deal already agreed. If that’s true, we should be on for a whopping transfer fee.
Morata to the bridge
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte continues his search for an attacker to take over from Costa, who looks half-way out of the Stamford Bridge door. Money man Abramovich has done his best to settle the 28-year-old favourite, but to no avail.
Costa looks to be sticking to his guns with this move, which is surprising, but his current employers won’t let the grass grow. A host of big names have been linked with the Premier League leaders already this month, and we’re betting plenty more will be before it’s concluded, with the latest being Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata. Money seems to be no object for Chelsea, and that’s lucky as they will need to make a heavyweight offer to get their man. At present, it’s filed under gossip
Efe off to Ewood
Blackburn Rovers look set to turn to Scottish champions, and runaway league leaders, Celtic in a boost to strengthen their defence for the second-half of the season. Nigerian Efe Ambrose hasn’t played much football since the arrival of Brendan Rodgers, but boasts Champions League experience, and would be among friends at relegation-threatened Rovers.
Charlie Mulgrew, who scored a winner against Newcastle this season, twice, currently plays his football at Blackburn as does another former team-mate of Ambrose in Anthony Stokes. The 28-year-old would surely grab the opportunity with both hands, but he’d be expected to hit the ground running, with Rovers currently showing -12 in the goal difference tally.
