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Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid raid Liverpool for ‘new Xabi Alonso’? Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid raid Liverpool for ‘new Xabi Alonso’?
(35 minutes later)
Some days the Rumour Mill can produce the tittle-tattle equivalent of a Greatest Hits collection: Lionel Messi to Manchester City, Chelsea in for Marco Reus, Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United, Chris Smalling off to Barcelona, that sort of thing. Today … is not one of those days. Today’s collection of scurrilous gossip is more a random selection of obscure B-sides by a band no one really remembers. But, like a random selection of obscure B-sides by a band no one really remembers, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth paying attention to. We’re basically in Grand Drive’s Being Alive: Loose Wheels and Latch Keys territory.Some days the Rumour Mill can produce the tittle-tattle equivalent of a Greatest Hits collection: Lionel Messi to Manchester City, Chelsea in for Marco Reus, Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United, Chris Smalling off to Barcelona, that sort of thing. Today … is not one of those days. Today’s collection of scurrilous gossip is more a random selection of obscure B-sides by a band no one really remembers. But, like a random selection of obscure B-sides by a band no one really remembers, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth paying attention to. We’re basically in Grand Drive’s Being Alive: Loose Wheels and Latch Keys territory.
For example, Everton and Burnley could not be more interested in Rangers midfielder Lewis Macleod if they were wasps and he were made entirely of jam. The two clubs fancy offering the 20-year-old a route south in January.For example, Everton and Burnley could not be more interested in Rangers midfielder Lewis Macleod if they were wasps and he were made entirely of jam. The two clubs fancy offering the 20-year-old a route south in January.
And how about this – West Brom want Brann midfielder Stéphane Badji and are willing to pay £750,000 to get their man. Palace and Sunderland are also keen, but the chance of being the Baggies’ Badji is an alliterative opportunity too good to miss. And how about this – West Brom want the Brann midfielder Stéphane Badji and are willing to pay £750,000 to get their man. Palace and Sunderland are also keen, but the chance of being the Baggies’ Badji is an alliterative opportunity too good to miss.
Arsenal and Tottenham are casting covetous glances at Dinamo Zagreb’s Marcelo Brozovic but have been told that any bid will have to “knock me off my feet” by Dinamo manager Zdravko Mamic. The north London clubs are currently investigating whether a well-greased 50p tactically placed in a corridor at the Maksimir Stadium would be enough for the midfielder.Arsenal and Tottenham are casting covetous glances at Dinamo Zagreb’s Marcelo Brozovic but have been told that any bid will have to “knock me off my feet” by Dinamo manager Zdravko Mamic. The north London clubs are currently investigating whether a well-greased 50p tactically placed in a corridor at the Maksimir Stadium would be enough for the midfielder.
In a tussle reminiscent of one that Sky would schedule on a Sunday lunchtime in order to help fulfil their quota of Showing Other Teams, it’s West Ham versus Sunderland over Rennes stopper Jean Makoun, whose contract expires next year. A bid as low as £1m might be enough to persuade Rennes to part with the midfielder, who flopped pretty spectacularly at Aston Villa a few years ago. In a tussle reminiscent of one that Sky would schedule on a Sunday lunchtime to help fulfil their quota of Showing Other Teams, it’s West Ham versus Sunderland over the Rennes stopper Jean Makoun, whose contract expires next year. A bid as low as £1m might be enough to persuade Rennes to part with the midfielder, who flopped pretty spectacularly at Aston Villa a few years ago.
Real Madrid are going all Championship Manager 2000-01 with their youth team. They’ve already bagged Ajax’s Mink Peeters, 16, and Mallorca’s Marco Asensio, 18. Now they want 15-year-old Martin Odegaard from Strømsgodset and Liverpool’s Pedro Chirivella, the Spain Under-18 captain who has been dubbed “the new Xabi Alonso” because he’s quite good at passing and we’re generally quite lazy when it comes to describing young players. Liverpool are expected to tell Real that they “regard him as an important player for the future” and change his status from “hot prospect” to “indispensable to the club”. Real Madrid are going all Championship Manager 2000-01 with their youth team. They’ve already bagged Ajax’s Mink Peeters, 16, and Mallorca’s Marco Asensio, 18. Now they want the 15-year-old Martin Odegaard from Stromsgodset and Liverpool’s Pedro Chirivella, the Spain Under-18 captain who has been dubbed “the new Xabi Alonso” because he’s quite good at passing and we’re generally quite lazy when it comes to describing young players. Liverpool are expected to tell Real that they “regard him as an important player for the future” and change his status from “hot prospect” to “indispensable to the club”.