Finding accurate information in the last month of a transfer window is like cleaning out your oven. There’s something shiny and new if you work hard enough, but often it’s been so long that you forget what ‘good’ is meant to look like.
This month, instead of trying to bluff our way through and pass off guesswork as inside knowledge, we’re going to bring you our thoughts on some of the most likely deals…as well as the least likely.
Today, as always, we have seven rumours for you ranging from nailed-on to ‘nah’, based on the information in front of us and nothing more.
1) Paul Pogba – Juventus to Manchester United (various)
This morning the Scottish Daily Record says the deal is done, and is costing United a world record (and weirdly precise) £108.9m fee. The Daily Telegraph says the move will be done by the weekend – as does the Daily Express, who reckon the fee will be £112m, and that Pogba will be paid £275,000 a week. Either way, despite his apparently mumbled ‘confirmation’ to a couple of autograph hunters that he was staying at Juve, this one looks like it is going to get over the line. Especially after this little tease from Jose:
"We will sign one more player!" Mourinho targets one more summer signing. 👀 https://t.co/wbUitHESix
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 3, 2016
2) Christian Benteke – Liverpool to Everton/Sunderland (Daily Mirror)
It was clear even last season that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp doesn’t fancy Benteke, so really now it’s just a case of who will get him. The Mirror reports today that new Sunderland boss David Moyes will fight his old club Everton for the Belgian striker. Could he make the switch from Red to Blue on Merseyside? It’s been done before. Wherever he goes, he is going.
3) Romelu Lukaku – Everton to Chelsea (Evening Standard)
The Standard reckon Antonio Conte has been talking this deal up, but we all know what it boils down to: Everton don’t have to sell, so if Chelsea want him they have to stump up megabucks. If they do, he’s theirs. Come on, Roman, dust off your chequebook pronto so we can all move on.
4) Adnan Januzaj – Manchester United to Everton/Sunderland (The Sun)
Of course David Moyes wants to buy Januzaj. And it makes sense that Januzaj would want to play for Moyes, given Louis van Gaal ignored him completely and Jose Mourinho is about as likely to play him as Rafa Benitez is to join United as his assistant. The only fly in the Moyes/Januzaj reunion ointment is that Everton are also keen, according to The Sun, and will doubtless offer him higher wages now they’re all rich an’ that.
(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)5) Jordan Ayew – Aston Villa to West Ham
Right. The Sun reports this morning that the ‘Appy ‘Ammers are plotting an £8m move for the Villa man – to increase their chances of also bringing in his older brother Andre from Swansea. Hmmm. We can easily see the Jordan deal happening, but we’re not quite sure on the logic of the rest of it.
6) Julian Draxler – Wolfsburg to Arsenal
Not this again. Please not this again. The Germany star has long been linked with a switch to the Gunners and this week he even came out and said he wanted to leave Wolfsburg. Today’s Daily Star claims it would cost Arsene Wenger more than £50m to prise him away thanks to a release clause in his contract. And we all know what that means. Sorry, Gooners – despite the weeks of speculation to come, this one ain’t happening.
7) Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich to Real Madrid (Fichajes)
Come on guys. We’re better than this. The whole internet is better than this. Isn’t it? Well perhaps not. The basis of this one from Spanish site Fichajes is that the Polish striker is still haggling over a new contract with Bayern. Expect that to be signed and this story to go away with the minimum of fuss.
