Morning all. Throughout January Soccerlens are going to be bringing you a daily round-up of the morning’s various goings-on. Be it juicy morsels of spurious transfer gossip or real, actual bona fide news, rest assured, we’ll have it covered.
Here’s this morning’s batch.
Arshavin off to the Old Lady?…
As well as faltering ‘keeper Manuel Almunia, there is growing speculation that hideously out-of-form Russian forward Andrei Arshavin may be leaving Arsenal in the January window – with the player’s agent telling all-and-sundry that Serie A giants Juventus are keen on signing his client.
So said Arshavin’s representative Dennis Lachter:
“There’s a possibility of Andrei’s move to Juventus, but two things can prevent this deal – firstly, Arsenal can win the Premier League this year, which is a dream of any footballer
Secondly is the issue of Juve’s financial power, as Arsenal are demanding no less than £20 million to release Arshavin.”
On current form, would anyone actually notice he was gone?
Adebayor set for Real deal?…
If the Daily Mirror are to be believed, La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid are in advanced talks with Manchester City over a loan deal for striker Emmanuel Adebayor, as they try desperately to secure a replacement for Gonzalo Higuain – who is due to sit the next four months out after undergoing surgery on a herniated disc in his back.
‘Desperately’ being the operative word.
According to the red top’s report, several other clubs are interested in signing, though potential suitors Fulham and former club Monaco are likely to be put off by City’s insistence that they pay all of Adebayor’s astronomical £160,000-a-week wages.
Man Utd target French playmaker…
Manchester United are ready to renew their efforts to sign £22 million-rated Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, after dutifully tracking the 24-year-old French schemer since his time on loan at AC Milan several years ago.
Gourcuff only joined Lyon in August, but several reports since have suggested that he is struggling to settle convincingly at the Ligue 1 outfit, and it is now thought that Les Gones may be willing to let the player move on if they receive an offer equal to or higher than the €22 million they paid Bordeaux for his services six months ago.
Liverpool fancy a bit of Charlie…
Liverpool are thought to be putting together a substantial offer for Blackpool’s influential midfielder Charlie Adam, who impressed yet again as the Seasiders ‘did the double’ over King Kenny’s newly-inherited minions in the Premier League last night – running out 2-1 winners as they did.
Blackburn, Aston Villa and Birmingham all saw £2.5 million bids for Adam knocked back earlier in the week, and with that in mind, Liverpool are hoping that a hefty £4.5 million package will be enough to see them gazump their rivals in the race to procure the 25-year-old Scot.
Question is: Would he be willing to take the step down?
Birmingham get Bentley…
After several weeks of swirling speculation, Birmingham have officially announced the signing of David Bentley on a six-month loan from Tottenham after the 26-year-old midfielder successfully completed a medical at St Andrews earlier in the week.
Brum manager Alex McLeish said of the deal:
“It will be good to sign him because he has got a bit of quality and class as a footballer. His delivery at set-pieces is excellent as well. He is a natural footballer.”
As it happens, he’s also fairly adept at picking out skips from across the road.
The best of the rest…
- Arsenal are plotting a loan move that would see West Ham captain Matthew Upson return to the club until the end of the season. Should Upson decide to ‘up sticks’, the Hammers will then move to fill the void with Newcastle veteran Sol Campbell…
- Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has told his Man City counterpart, Roberto Mancini, to forget about signing Gareth Bale in the summer, after the Italian publicly sounded out the Welsh winger as his ‘strongest summer target’…
- Aston Villa hope to announce the £6 million signing of Lyon midfielder Jean Makoun later today…
- Blackburn are hopeful of bringing Man City striker Roque Santa Cruz back to the club on loan, though a dispute over who will fork out for the lion’s share of the Paraguayan’s wages is halting proceedings…
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