ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS is back at the helm of a London club four months after getting the chop at Chelsea, but he looks to be fighting a losing battle with his former side in the pursuit of a Brazilian star in the making.
Having already brought the age profile of the Champions League winners’ squad with the acquisitions of Eden Hazard and Marko Marin, Roberto Di Matteo is now likely to add Internacional playmaker Oscar for a transfer fee mooted to be around €25m.
The 20-year-old, who already has six senior caps for his country, has been tracked by Europe’s top sides and while Spurs showed strong interest last week, he will become a Blue if reports are to be believed.
Whether or not AVB misses out on that target, he will put the finishing touches to tying down Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent deal. The former Togo international spent last season at White Hart Lane on loan from Manchester City but is surplus to requirements and may only cost €6m.
GOING?
Yesterday, new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers held his first press conference since taking over the Merseysiders and suggested that he could be open to sending target man Andy Carroll out on loan amid speculation that AC Milan are weighing up an approach.
Meanwhile, former Chelsea forward Fabio Borini (now at Roma) and Fulham’s Clint Dempsey are two names who could soon be arriving at Anfield.
GOING?
Manchester United addressed their ageing midfield by making a couple of early moves in the market – bringing in Japanese attacker Shinji Kagawa and teenager Nick Powell from Crewe Alexandra. However, Inter Milan target Lucas Moura, a 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder who plies his trade at Sao Paolo, is now top of his wish list.
There is a stumbling block as Lucas, who has been included in Brazil’s Olympic team for London 2012, could cost as much as €35 million and United don’t appear to be able to fork that sort of money these days.
GONE!
Finally, Swansea have snapped up Spanish defender Jose Manuel Flores from Genoa. The 23-year-old joins Michael Laudrup’s side in a three-year deal for around €2.5m.
