HERE’S THE GOOD, the bad and unlikely football moves being talked about today
CHELSEA HAVE REPORTEDLY put in a €35m bid for Leicester City and France midfielder N’Golo Kanté. It is believed that new Blues boss Antonio Conte is hoping to have the deal confirmed by this weekend.
Manchester City are understood to be prepared to spend a combined £100m (€120m) to secure the services of Everton defender John Stones and Schalke winger Leroy Sané. Both players are expected to cost in and around the £50m (€60m) mark.
Liverpool striker Jordon Ibe has reportedly agreed personal terms and passed a medical at Bournemouth for what is believed to be a £15m (€18m) move.
Sunderland are believed to have David Moyes in mind as a replacement for Sam Allardyce should their current manager leave to take on the England job.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to splash £55m (€65m) to bring Germany and Wolfsburg midfielder Julian Draxler to the Emirates. Wenger is also thought to be hopeful of bringing Thomas Vermaelen back to the club from Barcelona.
Retro Deal of the Day
Manchester City’s Georgi Kinkladze had feet that most of us could only dream of.
The diminutive number seven soon became a fan favourite at Maine Road after signing for the club on this day in 1995, in a £2m switch from Dinamo Tbilisi.
His mesmerizing runs, electric speed and sharp football brain saw him become one of the Premier League’s most exciting players in the 1995/96 season and a national hero in Georgia.
Kinkladze’s time at Manchester City was world’s apart from the where the club finds itself now; they were relegated at the end of his first season despite him putting in a string of eye-catching performances which earned him the club’s Player of the Year award.
In particular, his goal against Southampton that season, which has shades of one Lionel Messi about it with the drop of the shoulder, close ball control and dinked finish with the left, ensured Kinkladze made a lasting impression in his first season in England’s top flight.
The playmaker won 54 caps for Georgia and eventually waved goodbye to the Man City faithful in 1998 after they were relegated to the third tier of English football.
An unsuccessful £5m move to Ajax was followed by a return to the Premier League with Derby County in 2000, initially on loan, and he went on to spend four mixed seasons with the Rams, which included relegation in 2002, scoring six goals in 93 games.
Kinkladze then finished out his career in Cyprus and Russia before retiring in 2006.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
