HERE ARE THE good, the bad, and the unlikely football moves being talked about today…
The transfer window reached new levels of lunacy today with PSG being linked with a lucrative €222 million move for Neymar.
Multiple sources say the French club are planning to activate the player’s release clause having failed to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Cristiano Ronaldo, and reports suggest that the move could involve a switch for Marco Verratti.
The Italian midfielder wants out of the Stade de France and is valued at €100 million, however Barelona’s sporting director has dismissed claims about Neymar’s departure from the Nou Camp.
Robert Fernandez said: “I don’t think that’s going to happen. It’s not our intention to lose players, certainly not good players. We try to improve within the confines of what is possible.”
Meanwhile Chelsea are still on the lookout for a replacement for Diego Costa and have eyes on Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
Sky Sports say Chelsea have ”serious and strong interest” in the player.
However when asked if the Argentine would remain at the Etihad next season, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “Absolutely. There’s never been a doubt about that. I’ve read a lot of the speculation on this and it’s ridiculous.”
Pepe Reina has been linked with a transfer to Manchester City and is being lined up as a replacement for Claudio Bravo.
The Napoli goalkeeper kept 12 clean sheets in 37 appearances last season and could go for as little as €4.5 million, according to the Guardian.
Elsewhere The Leicester Mercury report that Riyad Mahrez is willing to take a pay cut in order to join Roma.
The paper reports that while the Italians have already had one bid rejected, they could be willing to fork out €30 million for the 2016 PFA Player of the Year.
Mahrez scored 17 goals as Leicester stormed to the Premier League title in 2016, but managed just six in a frustrating campaign in 2016/17.
However speaking from the club’s pre-season tour of Hong Kong manager Craig Shakespeare insists there have been no bids made for the Algerian.
Retro Deal of the Day: Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City
On this day in 2009 Emmanuel Adebayor joined Manchester City for €28 million.
City were continuing to flex their financial muscle and had put together an bolstering attacking lineup which included Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Shaun Wright-Philips, Benjani and Craig Bellamy.
City’s spending totaled a whopping €118.5 million that summer, a far cry from the baffling numbers of today but an incredible haul by all standards eight years ago.
Adebayor scored 14 Premier League goals in his first season, often overshadowed by Tevez who amassed 23 goals and earned the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award.
However the Togo international would become one of just six players in history to score in his first four Premier League games.
The former Arsenal ace spent just a season and a half at the Etihad before being loaned to Real Madrid in early 2011 and later sold to Tottenham.
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