• Bruno Fernandes has turned down a new contract offer from Manchester United.
• Liverpool will probably break up their winning strike force of Mane, Salah and Firmino.
Image: REUTERS
Leicester lose 10 key players
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers spent much of Monday and Tuesday this week in the office trying to work out his best team for Wednesday’s match against Spurs. His problem centred on the long list of injuries at the club which is the worst it has ever been.
On the list and unavailable for selection are Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Jonny Evans,Wesley Fofana, Ryan Bertrand, Jamie Vardy. To add to Rodger’s problem he has Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy, Wilfried Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho all away at Afcon. The same problem also faces Leicester for the home match against Brighton this weekend.
Manchester United update
Bruno Fernandes has turned down a new contract offer from Manchester United. He pointed out that Ronaldo and De Gea are earning over £300k-a-week whereas his current wages are £100k and he thinks they are not worth three times his own value to the club. United are willing to negotiate with his agents but emphasise that any increased offer is based on how well the club do this season.
Football Director John Murtough has drawn up a list of possible midfielders because relations are still strained with Paul Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola and the club are unsure of Pogba’s intentions as he enters the last six months of his contract.
Nemanja Matic is another whose future is unclear because he reaches his 34th birthday this year and United are unlikely to offer him more than a 12-month extension to his current deal.
Meanwhile, Anthony Martial is attracting attention for a loan deal until the end of the season. Newcastle and Tottenham are interested but United want them to take on Martial’s wage bill of £150k-a-week. Martial himself said he is not interested in any loan deals at another Premier League club and would prefer to join Spain’s Sevilla on a permanent basis but the Spanish club has refused to pay his entire salary.
Both Barcelona and Juventus have made initial enquiries but a deal is a long way off. It is bizarre that Ralf Rangnick is not playing Jesse Lingard and yet when Newcastle made an approach, he firmly rejected them, stating that he does not want to lose his wingman striker. Lingard is determined to play regular first-team football and has now had three meetings with the interim manager and he has made it clear he wants to move to London and probably return to West Ham . However, a move to Newcastle is attractive to him because he is good friends with Kieran Trippier, who was Eddie Howe’s first big signing at the Saudi-backed team.
Liverpool update
Reports are coming out of Anfield that Liverpool will probably break up their winning strike force of Mane, Salah and Firmino. Jurgen Klopp is more reliant on Diogo Jota these days as Firmino’s influence lessens. He has lost much of the edge he possessed two years ago.
Jota has scored 12 goals in 21 games so far this season. Despite Barcelona wanting to sign French club Lille’s midfielder Renato Sanches they have been forced to pull out of the race to sign him due to financial restraints. That has boosted Liverpool’s chances and scouts have been monitoring the progress of the 24-year-old. Barca’s boss Xavi Hernandez had made Sanches his priority signing and is known to be very disappointed.
Image: /REUTERS
Guardiola upset with Haaland’s wishes
The world’s most sought-after striker Erling Haaland has set his heart on joining Real Madrid when he moves. That is bad news for both Manchester clubs who were preparing to do battle for his signature.
United have accepted that they cannot sign Haaland. However, Pep Guardiola is visibly upset that his transfer plans for January have gone up in smoke. Pep was lining up Haaland to replace Sergio Aguero on a long-term basis. He was under the impression that City’s mighty financial resources would win the day.
I am not sure how Real would finance their ambitious plan but president Florentine Perez wants to link Haaland and Paris St Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe and thus create a striking partnership that would be the envy of every football club in the world. Perez wants to take advantage of Barcelona’s current difficulties to get back their disputed No1 status in Spain.
Henderson finally loses patience.
When goalkeeper Dean Henderson joined Manchester United, he promised that he would give David De Gea some serious competition and would take over as No1 within 6 months.
Ole Gunner Solskjaer put Henderson in goal last season for 13 matches but an injury combined with a return to form by De Gea has seen Dean relegated to the subs bench this season.
Things came to head last week when he was promised a start in the FA Cup match against Aston Villa. Manager Ralf Rangnick then changed his mind and Dean did not even make the 20-man squad. I have been told that he, allegedly, stormed out of the ground and on Monday told, Rangnick he wanted to leave. It all adds to the regrettably poisonous atmosphere at United.
Rangnick said this week: “We are very happy with our goalkeepers but if it’s up to me, I want him to stay.”
Newcastle are looking at a possible bid and Henderson’s £100k a week wages would not be a problem. Southampton are also keen but would want United to pay part of Dean’s salary and take him on loan.
Just recently they had to sign 40-year-old Willy Caballero as cover for injuries and Covid. Brentford are in a similar situation and would also do a loan deal with an agreement to split Henderson’s wages.
Arteta in desperate need of a midfielder
I am told that Juventus have offered midfielder Arthur to Arsenal on loan. The 25-year-old Brazilian has started only three games this year despite being capped 21 times by Brazil.
Manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign a top midfielder as cover for Granit Xhaka, who has just returned from Covid but was red-carded again over the weekend. Albert Sambi is the only senior player at the moment in midfield with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny both given time off for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is on the Gunners' radar too. However, he will not be available until at least next summer. The battle between several clubs for the signature of Dusan Vlahovic has taken a backward step because Fiorentina want £60million although I am told that additional agent fees and Vlahovic’s £300k a week wages are a problem.
Image: REUTERS
Kane will definitely leave if Spurs win nothing
I am hearing from Tottenham that the Harry Kane leaving nightmare is a hot topic again. Kane has made it plain that he wants to win trophies but Spurs do not look like fulfilling his ambition again this season.
It is 14 years since Spurs won anything and Kane is now 29 years. Tottenham crashed out of the Carabao Cup last week and a Champions League spot next season is a tough challenge. Manchester City were keen to sign Kane last summer but chairman Daniel Levy persuaded him to stay but if Spurs win nothing, it is highly likely they will be battling to keep him.
Conte leaves a question mark on his departure
It was interesting that Spur’s manager Antonio Conte would not be drawn into answering training ground questions about his intended length of stay at the club. It all comes down to the same problem which faced two previous managers Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho.
Tottenham have money but Chairman Daniel Levy doesn’t like to part with it. Conte is a skilled negotiator and tough but then so is Levy and the current lack of activity in this month’s transfer window is frustrating the manager.
Conte is fast realising that both Levy and football director Fabio Paratici might not be serious when they said they would bring in top-class talent.
Conte said he will stay on until the end of the season but hinted that he isn’t thinking beyond that at the moment. He said: “Honestly, I like to live in the present and not to think a lot of the future.”
However, he added: “Later could be too late for us."
We all knew he was talking about spending to bring in better quality players. When Conte took the job, he knew money would be tight but he said: “I have only been here two months but we must do things right. I don’t lose my ambition and this must be very clear… so now we have to try and improve and bring the team to an important level and it will be very difficult because the gap is not a little one.”
I can tell you that several players are worried he will quit if Spurs do not back him with some signings this month.
Vieira looking for wise old heads to lead his youngsters
Patrick Vieira is looking for more depth in his squad at Crystal Palace. He wants more experienced players to back up his policy of using young players. His rising youngsters, 21-year-old Conor Gallagher and 20-year-old Michael Olise are impressing but the Palace/Arsenal negotiations to bring in striker Eddie Nketiah have reached a deadlock.
Vieira says his own experience is valued by the youngsters but he needs wise old heads to balance the team and guide the youngsters. Vieira was a first-class defender but he needs midfielders and strikers such as Edinson Cavani to improve the younger players.
Ndombele could be shipped out on loan or exchanged
Tanguy Ndombele is unlikely to feature in Antonio Conte’s plans again but Spurs face a problem getting rid of him. After being substituted recently, he stormed off down the tunnel and was subsequently left out of the Carabao Cup squad.
However, his £200,000-a-week wages would be a problem for poor Spanish teams and Juventus is a more likely home for the £63million midfield misfit. He could be loaned out or makeup part of an exchange deal so Conte can strengthen his midfield.