Following a weekend in which a Twitter spat involving self promotion’s Piers Morgan, scared popster Olly Murs, his waspish fellow crooner James Blunt, the real Toni Kroos and somebody masquerading as Kolo Touré was a surreal highlight, the Rumour Mill finds itself increasingly less sure what to believe anymore. Is Luke Shaw going on loan to Newcastle? The Mirror certainly seems to think so. Rafael Benítez is understood to be interested in ending the full-back’s Manchester United purgatory by bringing him to St James’ Park and José Mourinho should sanction a loan move.
Such a move would free up a dressing room peg and car-park space for Atlético Madrid central defender José Giménez, a 22-year-old Uruguayan who is wanted by the Manchester United. Juventus are also interested in bringing Giménez, to Turin and Atletico will sell to the highest bidders. United may also have a fight on their hands to hold on to Anthony Martial, with Real Madrid believed to be lining up a summer bid of £80m bid for the 21-year-old. Out of sorts midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan may also be on his way out of Old Trafford if reports that Borussia Dortmund are interested in taking him back are to be believed.
A summer target of Barcelona, Real Sociedad central defender Iñigo Martínez is now wanted by Manchester City. Barca made three separate approaches for the 26-year-old last August, before deciding against paying his €32m release clause and he has been monitored by City scouts in recent months. Elsewhere in Spain, Atlético Madrid are hitching their skirts in the direction of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, but will have to fend off interest from Inter to get him.
Eric Cantona has also urged Manchester United to come in for the PSG outcast. Pastore’s current employers remain interested in bringing Alexis Sánchez to the French capital and the Mirror say they’ve edged ahead of City in the tedious ongoing race to secure the Chilean’s services. Julian Draxler is another player who looks likely to end his association with PSG sooner rather than later and is being tipped with either a return to his native Germany or a move to Liverpool or Arsenal. The Gunners also remain interested in Monaco and France midfielder Thomas Lemar and will try to lure him to the Emirates again following the failure of their €90m August deadline day bid.
In managerial news, Martin O’Neill has emerged as the surprise favourite to sort out the mess at Everton. The 65-year-old has been in charge of Ireland since 2013 and has agreed a new deal with the Football Association of Ireland. With the feeling in Ireland being that he has perhaps taken the team as far as they can go under him after their failure to qualify for the World Cup, he could almost certainly take the Everton job with the nation’s blessing.
Meanwhile at the Hawthorns, Alan Pardew looks likely to succeed Tony Pulis. And in news that suggests they may not realise Tony Pulis and Alan Pardew are currently available, Borussia Dortmund are not going to fire their under-fire and beleaguered manager Peter Bosz, because they can’t think of anyone better to replace him.